SasuSaku Month 2017 One-Shots
by EphemeralSakura
Summary: Happy SasuSaku Month! Collection of one-shots based on these year's prompts. Stories from K- M. Please, enjoy!
1. Day 1- First Love

**SasuSaku Month 2017**

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 **Day 01- First Love**

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 **Title** : Boys Will be Boys

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 **Summary** : AU- They are at their high school reunion, and much for his dismay, a certain veterinarian won't take his eyes off of her. They might have grown up, but some things won't ever change.

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 **A/N** : Happy SasuSaku Month, everyone! The biggest and most amazing event of our fandom has officially began, and I can't wait to see what everyone has prepared! The themes this year are amazing and I'm sure we're all gonna have so much fun celebrating our ship's month together! I promise I'll try not to take too long to finish this time (yeah, right) and I'll do my best to give you the best fics I can write! Have fun, and please, make the author happy and leave me a Review!

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 _Rated K+_

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High School reunions have always been a bother for him.

It's one afternoon in 365 days where he has to reschedule his entire agenda so he can make it to a weird and noisy reunion that happens for no particular reason. It's a day where he will meet old faces from people he was supposed to remember, and where the word 'nostalgia' will be said at least 10 times per minute. People will pretend like they actually miss each other and there's always that one person who says— but doesn't really mean— that they should all keep in touch.

How annoying, he thought, with his arms crossed over his chest. Annoying and utterly unnecessary.

With his characteristic, stoic expression spread all over his face, Uchiha Sasuke was standing on the furthest corner of that saloon, watching everything from afar and trying to figure out a way to make time pass by faster. He had tried paying attention to the conversations, giving up, eventually, after realizing everyone was talking about who married who, and what happened to that one kid no one truly remembers.

Unbelievable, he sighed, as his dark eyes drifted around, eventually spotting the one, familiar face, whose name could never be forgotten due to the unnecessary amount of time they meet every week.

Just to make matters worse.

Loud, blond and annoying, Uzumaki Naruto naturally blended in all the conversation circles, laughing and chatting with every single one of their ex-colleagues. As always, he was acting like his goofy-self and it was clear that he was the one cheering up the entire reunion, as a good clown should do. Through the years, his personality only grew friendlier, and for as annoying as it could be, it made him an accessible person for most of the people. He has this contagious aura that makes everyone want to at least talk to him, even if they weren't really aware of it.

He has always been good at making friends, Sasuke knew.

And he could have chosen any of those cheerful people around that saloon to be his best friend, yet, he decided to pick the grumpiest of them all.

What an idiot, for sure.

Unlike him, Naruto knew how to socialize and how to be a pleasant company around others. He looked everyone in the eye with those sapphire orbs of his, and it was clear that he wasn't simply pretending to enjoy doing all those things. He really was having a great time with all those old memories, and just like back in their school days, he was having fun with everyone else. Just like always, he was trying to be friends with everyone, something Sasuke was never capable of.

The Uchiha never wanted nor tried to be a nice person around his classmates, and yet, he ended up being the popular one. Girls wanted to be with him, guys wanted to be his friends, and all he has ever wanted was to be the best among them all. It has always been all about him, and apparently, people didn't seem to notice— or care about that. They even found that attractive, to be honest, not mattering how delusional that could sound.

He used to be an asshole during their school days, and things only changed when a certain pink—

" Oi, Sasuke!" Naruto screamed, approaching his best friend, who was abruptly brought back to reality. He might have been surprised by such loud words, yet he made sure to show no reaction. " Are you really just gonna stay here all the time? People will think you've become a weirdo."

" Tch, shut up, Dobe." He scoffed. " I don't know these people."

" Of course you do—ttebayo! They're our classmates and we haven't seen them in ages! Aren't you at least excited to know how everyone turned out?"

"No."

" Oh, come on, Teme! You can't tell me you're not even a bit curious about your friends."

" I know about y-"

" I don't count."

" I wasn't just talking about you."

" Neither do Ino nor Sakura-chan."

" Tch..." He pouted, giving up. "The rest doesn't really matter."

A defeated sigh escaped the blond's lips, and much for Sasuke's dismay, he leaned next to the Uchiha, their shoulders bumping. As Naruto could notice, his best friend was as grumpy as ever, and if he didn't do anything, the corner where they were currently standing would be warm by the end of the night. The Uzumaki had to do something to motivate the raven haired man, and even if he didn't like to use his ultimate trick, he knew better that it would be the only thing that would make Sasuke move.

He would certainly be pissed.

But at least he would talk to a few people.

And it would also be quite amusing, if the Uzuamki were to be honest.

With a smirk gracing his foxy lips, Naruto used his elbow to poke Sasuke's ribs. He earned a glare from the Uchiha due to the unnecessary amount of strength put on that move, but since he was more than used to that reaction from his best friend, the blond simply lifted the hand he was using to hold a glass of beer, motioning to the man in front of them. Unexpectedly, such gesture captured the raven haired man's attention, and he followed the direction pointed by the beer, regretting it as soon as his eyes landed on the person in front of them. " You remember Kiba, don't you?"

" Hn, Not much."

" Oh, I bet you do. Apart from me, of course, he was the only one in our class who ever fought you for Sakura-chan's attention and undying love."

"…" He stared at Kiba, bluntly, trying not to show off any reaction. " Doesn't ring a bell."

" Bullshit-ttebayo! I'm sure you remember the time you pushed him against the wall and-"

" What's your point, Dobe!?"

Listening to the sudden discomfort in the Uchiha's voice mixed with the deadly glare he was giving their old classmate made it clear to the Uzumaki that, not only his best friend remembered what had happened in their last year of High School, but also that he was still bothered by it. Naruto knew how to get on Sasuke's nerves, and if he was already bothered by that, then he had no idea of what was still to come.

" You see… I was passing by and I heard him saying he couldn't wait to see Sakura-chan again! Honestly, I think he still has a crush on her."

" Hn, This is ridiculous."

" Why? He's still single and she just got prettier with the years."

" It's been 10 years. He can't be that stupid."

" Wanna bet?"

" Do you mean you wanna lose?"

" Hehe If you say so…" There was a smirk around his lips, and Naruto could see how his friend was dying of jealousy inside. It was just a matter of time until the Uchiha completely succumbed to his words- which were mostly true- and when that happened, the fun would finally begin.

It was just a matter of time, Naruto knew.

He has always known.

For the following half hour, the Uzumaki continued to prepare the ground for Sasuke's eventual explosion. He spoke about all the guys who tried to get to the pinkette and also about the ones she even considered dating back then, not sparing him from any details. He even told him about the time he was drowning and was saved by her kiss of life, making sure to describe how soft and warm her lips felt against his.

Naruto was not going easy on him.

And to make matters worse, the main character of those stories had just showed up.

She arrived by the time Naruto was about to start his last story, capturing the attention of everyone around the saloon. Her hair was still as short and as pink as it used to be back in high school, and the emerald eyes of that girl were still as bright as ever. A light make up was spread over her face, and the delicate, pink dress she was wearing made her look even prettier, as it fell over her mature and feminine body.

Unlike in their school days, the pinkette's body was no longer something to be made fun of by the other girls, and just like always, her former male classmates couldn't take their eyes off of the only medic of their class. Sakura was a beautiful girl, and now she's a beautiful woman arriving late due to an emergency at the hospital where she works at. It was only natural that all the eyes were set on her.

But thanks to Naruto, the way that one, brown pair of orbs looked at her was annoying the hell out of the Uchiha.

It was impossible to tell if the scene happening in front of him was real or if his jealous mind was distorting it, but Sasuke could feel Kiba's intentions under his gaze. As the pinkette was innocently chatting with her long-seen friends, the veterinarian seemed to be eating her alive with his eyes. He was eyeing her from head to toe as he muttered something to that weirdo who was wearing sunglasses next to him, and as he brushed his chin with his thumb, Sasuke could only feel his anger growing.

Damn that stupid Naruto, he thought.

More than anyone else, the Uchiha should've known better that his blond best friend was only trying to mess with him, and that above all, he should keep control of his own emotions.

Sasuke knew he should've kept his cool.

But as soon as he saw Kiba approaching her with that doggy smirk of his, the raven haired man lost it.

It was just like back in High School.

Shouldn't he have given up already?

His feet had never walked faster than that time, as he left behind not only his sacred spot but also a dumbfounded Uzumaki. Dark eyes were holding a deadly glare, as his hands balled into fists at the sight of Kiba stopping next to her. Sasuke gritted his teeth, now stomping his way towards them.

Damn that bastard. Kiba waited for her friends to leave so he could try and make his move. In his misjudged perception, the pinkette was all alone and defenseless against his charm.

Barely he knew.

" I can't believe my eyes!" Kiba started, drawing the attention of her emerald eyes.

" Oh, hey, Kiba. Long time no see." She smiled, politely, causing his grin to grow bigger.

Poor veterinarian, she thought, as her eyes caught the sight of the raven haired man approaching them. That was certainly not Kiba's lucky day.

" Haruno Sak-"

" Uchiha Sakura." Sasuke's voice was strong and precise, as he pronounced the name of his wife with all its letters. His last name left his tongue like snake poison, leaving the vet completely stunned, much to the Uchiha's pleasure.

Apparently, Kiba didn't know he had married the girl during their college years.

Not that Sasuke had invited him for the ceremony.

" Oh, darling, you're already here."

" You're late." He said, stepping closer to her in somewhat of a territorial move. There was a smirk gracing her lips at that moment, as she was clearly aware of her husband's intentions.

Silly Uchiha, she thought.

But for the moment, Sakura decided to take advantage of his jealousy so she could escape Kiba's failed attempts to get her heart. He didn't stand a chance back in high school, and now things were no different.

" You know I had an emergency at the hospital."

" So what? I wanna go home."

" What!? But I've just got here! I wanna talk to everyone and see what's changed."

" Nothing changed. People are still the same."

" We've all changed, Shannarou."

" Hn, you're still annoying, Sakura."

"Tch, and you're still impossible, Sasuke."

An awkward silence suddenly enveloped the three of them after the couple's usual disagreement. Sasuke was still purposely ignoring the Inuzuka boy, who was answering the gesture with a glare, even if it was clear that he was still shocked by the revelation.

It didn't take long for the Uchiha to mirror the vet, and soon, they looked like two dogs showing their teeth. They were acting just like they did in high school, and if she didn't do anything, those two adults would soon start to fight in front of everyone.

Boys, she thought. They never change.

In a blink of an eye, the pinkette stepped in between them, tugging her husband by the arm. She gave him a warning look, which he acknowledged, yet did nothing about. " Tch, don't be rude, Sasuke-kun. Say hi to Kiba." She said, turning to the vet once more. " You remember Sasuke-kun, don't you?"

" Ye-Yeah…" Kiba started, gulping as the reality sunk in after those heated glares. " You two are together… I mean, Are you guys—"

" Married." Sasuke declared, earning a new glare from his wife.

" We got married during college. First Loves are impossible to forget, right?"

The soft and kind way she was talking to the Inuzuka boy was slowly starting to irritate her husband. His possessive side was getting tired of wasting their time with him, and more than anything, he just wanted to go home. He had had enough of that high school reunion, and if he could, Sasuke would've taken her by the hand and dragged her out of that place and away from that boy.

But since she had yet to meet the Yamanaka girl, Sasuke couldn't simply take her home. Still, he could take her away from there.

" I guess… Well, congrats." Kiba said, faking a smile. " Wish you both all the—"

" Sakura." He held her hand, not even listening to what the vet was talking. " Let's go. Ino wants to talk to you."

" Eh? But what abou— Ah!" He started pulling her, almost making her trip over her heels.

" Oi, Sasuke, you bastard! I wasn't finished!"

" Hn." The raven haired boy stopped and looked back at his high school rival. He was glaring at Kiba, who, for the first time, felt threatened by those cold, dark eyes of the Uchiha.

" ...You better take care of her, you hear me."

" You don't need to tell me that."

His answer left both Kiba and the pinkette surprised. Her eyes widened, and she barely noticed when he resumed pulling her across the room. Sakura knew that when he was jealous, anger was the first thing that crossed his mind when replying to someone. He would be cold and harsh, and even if his answer was, indeed, provocative, it was possible to feel a certain companionship shared by that unsaid promise.

Sasuke made sure to tell him he was going to take care of her. The Uchiha told him— the one boy who had explicitly declared his love for Haruno Sakura— that she would be safe with by his side.

Her husband was growing up, she realized, with a smile on her face.

That, or he was simply mocking Kiba for being the one given such chance. Not that he would ever have to, she thought, confidently. Sakura didn't need to be protected and more than anyone, she was aware of that.

She was aware of her fortes, and most of all, she was aware that Ino had already left the reunion by the time she got there.

Still, she wasn't going to tell him that so soon.

What a silly Uchiha, indeed.

" You look cute when you're jealous, Sasuke-kun."

" Tch, keep quiet."

A giggle escaped her lips, and the sight of her husband's pouting face made her heart flutter in pure excitement.

It was just like High School all over again.


	2. Day 2- Something More

**SasuSaku Month 2017**

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 **Day 2- Something More**

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 **Title:** _It's in Your Eyes_

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 **Summary** : _Sakura and Sasuke go out for lunch, and thanks to Ino's malicious words, the dessert won't be the highpoint of the meeting._

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Sakura was incredibly happy that day.

Her emerald eyes were shining, her hair felt softer and never before had she smiled so genuinely at the hospital nurses before. Her "hello's" were louder and more enthusiastic than ever, spreading kindness and making justice to her position as the Leaf's sweetheart. She had chosen prettier clothes that morning and even changed her perfume because such a perfect day certainly asked for something special.

The Haruno girl was overflowing with confidence, and more than ever, she was stunning.

And her sudden change certainly did not go unnoticed by her loud, blonde best friend as soon as they met at the hospital's cafeteria.

" Oh my god, Forehead! You're smiling so brightly that you could light up the entire village! Did you get laid?"

" Tell me again why we're still friends, Pig." The pinkette said, sitting next to Ino at the metallic table she had chosen. " You always make me doubt myself."

" Shut up, you love me."

" Do I?"

" Yes, but you probably love someone else, too. So spill it out. Who is it?"

" I honestly have no idea of what you're talking about. There's no one."

" Bullshit! You haven't looked this happy since you and the Fifth found that lost medical scroll. So, unless you were able to develop a cure for some disease, I'd say your heart is the one responsible for all of this!" Ino said, pointing at Sakura's clothes and light make-up.

" That scroll was amazing, okay?! It had so many instructions and ideas for a better use of herbs and—"

" Sakura!" The Yamanaka girl cut her off, giving her best friend a teasing look. There was just no way Ino was going to let her get away with her nerd talk. " What's going on?"

" Nothing is going on." She chuckled, not being able to hide a smile. A soft blush was spread around her cheeks, and before she noticed, Sakura was biting her lower lip like a teenager in love. " Can't I just be… Happy?"

Her baby blue eyes widened and her lips went agape at the scene in front of her. Even if her best friend was now taking a sip of her coffee, it was still possible for the mind tricker to see what most people would probably ignore. After so many years by her side and after so many gossips and feelings shared; there was no way Ino could not see what was hidden behind her best friend's demeanor.

Behind the clothes, the chuckles and the blushes that were illuminating the Haruno girl that morning, the blonde girl could see the truth the pinkette was trying— but clearly failing— to hide.

She probably forgot that there's no hiding from Yamanaka Ino.

" Oh. My. God." Ino said, loudly and completely shocked, causing everyone around to look at them. " It's the Sasuke look!"

" What?!" Sakura's eyes widened, looking around at the eyes that were glaring at them. " Shut up, Pig. This is a hospital and you shouldn't be so lou—"

" You're all happy because of Uchiha Sasuke!" Ino spoke in a lower and normal tone this time, and the medic could finally stop worrying about any noise complaints and focus on what really mattered.

" … No, I'm not."

Her emerald eyes connected with her best friend's baby blue ones for a while, until Sakura eventually looked away, and focused on her steaming coffee. There was a silly smile on her lips, and judging by how certain Ino sounded, the pinkette realized that denying things would be just a waste of time. There was really no hiding things from her curious, best friend.

" Yes, girl, you are! Did he send you a letter or something?"

" Tch, don't be ridiculous, Pig…" She placed her mug down, taking a deep breath before offering the blonde a sweet smirk. " He arrived yesterday and will be around for an entire month!"

" The Uchiha's in town? That explains a lot, then!"

" Yep! I missed him so much! I can't wait for Naruto to come back from his mission to see him! He will be so happy!"

" Wow, so that baka won't be around you two this time? You better tell me everything!"

" There's nothing to tell, really… We're just… We're just going out for lunch, that's all."

" Lunch date? That's better than all the girls together in the entire world could get from that boy! Good job, Forehead."

" It's not a date, Ino… Can't two friends who haven't seen each other in months go out for lunch without meaning anything romantic?"

The smile playing on Sakura's lips was undeniably genuine and it was clear that she was happy to see the Uchiha after so long. There was innocence and kindness in all of her emotions, and even if that was one of the things Ino admired about her, the blonde could not allow such things to blind her from the reality she didn't seem to notice.

The reality where Uchiha Sasuke was head over heels for Haruno Sakura.

He didn't say anything about it to anyone, but the Yamanaka girl knew for sure he was. He liked Sakura, and such thing was not a secret anymore, for the blonde herself had made sure to spread it around all their friends. Everyone but Sasuke knew about that, and even if Sakura didn't believe her girl friend's words, Ino could bet her entire clan's fortune that she was right about her presumptions.

The Uchiha could not hide those kind of feelings, no. Not from her.

He could not hide the way his act softened whenever Sakura was around, and he couldn't hide all the hints and the connection only they shared through unexpected meetings and weekly letters. His dark eyes observed her with a growing passion her blue eyes had never seen around before, and even if there was a time in her life when she would kill to have him looking at her like that; today Ino is more than happy to see her best friend's love slowly coming true. She's truly happy for them, and if she were to be honest, Sakura was the only girl who could ever be with that grumpy boy.

They made a cute couple and the Yamanaka girl would do everything she could to help them actually become one.

And apparently, she would have to start by giving her best a friend a little push.

"Wow wow… Who are you calling friends?" Ino asked, lifting an eyebrow in pure confusion.

" Sasuke-kun and I, of course. We've been bonding a lot lately and I feel like we can call each other friends now."

" Friends certainly don't look at each other the way he looks at you."

" What are you talking about?" Sakura's face looked confused now, truly not aware of the meaning behind her friend's words.

" Oh, come on! You must be blind if you don't see the way he looks at you."

" He looks at me the same way he looks at Naruto."

" No, girl. He doesn't undress Naruto with his eyes."

" Oh, stop it. We are just friends, Ino. We really are. I've realized that, before, things didn't really work out because we knew nothing about each other. Sasuke and I were never friends to begin with, and now I'm fixing this! We will be the best of friends before—"

" Before you can screw each other?"

" Pig!"

" Forehead! You've always loved him and now that he's finally showing some interest in girls, you don't honestly want to me to believe you'll both take it slowly, right?"

The way Ino's eyes were shooting her a glance left her intimidated by whatever could be the blonde's intentions. More than anyone, Sakura wanted things to work out between her and the Uchiha, for her feelings for him had only grown stronger with the time they've spent apart.

She loves him. She loves him too much, but that wasn't enough for them to start a relationship.

No matter how long they've known each other, the pinkette has always been aware that they were never really close before. Even if he probably considered her a comrade, she doubted he held her as dearly as he held Naruto in his heart, and she didn't want to remain like that forever.

Sakura wanted to be special for him, being it as a friend or a lover. She wanted him to acknowledge her as more than just a simple comrade, and she wouldn't mind spending the next months working on a foundation for their relationship. It could take as long as it was necessary for them to create a stronger bond, and she wouldn't try taking any short cuts in order to achieve her new objective.

She was going to climb all the way to his heart, and she was going to become something more than just a comrade in his life. She was going to make her way into his life, and in order to do so, she could not leave him waiting at the restaurant by himself.

It was lunch time, after all. And Ino was not going to mess things up.

" Hn, you don't have to believe anything." She started, standing up with both of her hands on her hips as she looked at the blonde from above. " This is how things will be, Shannarou! And now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go meet Sasuke-kun for our lunch."

" Say hi to Sasuke-kun from me."

" I will!" Sakura said, walking towards the exit with her hand up, as she said goodbye to her friend.

" You better let him get into your pants, Forehead!"

" INO!"

As she heard the Yamanaka girl laughing out loud, Sakura made sure to walk away as fast as possible from the cafeteria of her working place. Honestly, Ino doesn't know a thing about being professional, and even if she works at the intelligence division, the pinkette has never seen her friend shut up.

Konoha is in big trouble with that girl and her big mouth.

A big mouth that, no matter what, never fails to mess with her pink head.

From the moment she left the hospital and during her entire walk towards the place where she and Sasuke had chosen for lunch; the mind tricker's words didn't leave her mind. Even if she was long over her fangirl-self, Sakura couldn't help but be happy with the slightest possibility of actually having her feelings returned by the boy she's always loved.

Her heart started to beat faster, her cheeks grew warmer and even if she tried to convince herself that Ino had no idea of what she was talking about, there was that stupid, stubborn hope lingering over her naive heart.

She still loves him, Sakura never denied that.

She loves him, and that was why she was scared to change her bonding plans because of some words from Ino. Judging by how Sasuke is, the pinkette knew that any change would not pass unseen by his eyes, and in the same way he was accepting her presence, he could very well shut her out from his life.

He has done this before, after all.

Why not do it again?

The Haruno girl was now a pile of nerves, and what was supposed to be a friendly reunion, suddenly turned into a mess of overthinking and exaggerated emotions from the past. As she was standing just outside the restaurant, Sakura was honestly not sure if she should actually go inside anymore. Maybe she should just cancel their date— their lunch meeting, and say an emergency came up at the hospital so she could have some time to think of what to do next time she had to come face to face with the Uchiha.

Yes, that was exactly what she was going to do. Even if she had been dying to see him after so long, Sakura didn't think she could face him without having a nervous attack anymore.

She was going to bail on Uchiha Sasuke.

" Sakura."

Or that was what she thought, before listening to that strong, husky voice of his coming from behind.

Oh, crap.

Her eyes closed and she bit her lower lip in pure nervousness. Her heart was almost jumping out of her chest, and it took her some good seconds before she could actually turn to face him. " Sasuke-kun… Hi."

There was a forced, shy smile ruling her face, and even if she was almost collapsing on the ground, Sakura couldn't help but allow her emerald eyes to scan him. She observed how taller he had grown and how his dark eyes were still as serene as the last time she saw him. His jaw had become more angular, and to say he had become just prettier would be an understatement.

He looked great. So great it made her smile.

And for a brief moment, she allowed herself to relax a bit under the endless gaze of his dark pearls.

"We should go inside. You still gotta go back to the hospital, right?"

" Y-Yeah, you're right. Let's go."

As the gentleman he was raised to be, he stepped aside to let her go in first, following her all the way to a table for two. They sat across from each other, and as she analyzed the entire situation, something warm and nostalgic hit her.

The man in front of her was still her Sasuke-kun.

He was still the same boy for whom she fell in love all those years before, and no matter how changed he looked or what her loud, best friend had said earlier, nothing would change the fact that they were finally meeting after so long and that she wanted to spend as much time as possible by his side. She loves him. She always has and nothing would stop her from enjoying his company.

At such thought, Sakura could feel her troubled heart soothing as she discretely spared him a look. He was scanning the menu with his eyes, and as he did so, a pout he wasn't even aware of decorated his lips.

Apart from his manliness, Sasuke looked like a child, and she couldn't help but chuckle at that.

" What?"

How could she ever be uncomfortable around a boy like that?

" It's nothing…" She smiled softly at him. " I was just remembering something Ino told me this morning. Oh, and by the way, she says hi."

" Hn, what were you talking about?"

" You."

" Me?"

" You know, when Uchiha Sasuke is in the village, that's pretty much all we talk about."

" Hn." He lifted his lips in something that could barely be called a smile, and rested the menu board aside. " I bet it was an interesting day at the hospital."

" It was, actually…" She placed the menu aside, too, giving him one of her famous, tender smiles. Now that she was feeling a lot more relaxed around him, Sakura decided that, as friends, she could tell him everything about her day.

Everything.

It should be a good idea, right?

" You know…" She started, taking a sip of the water the waitress had just offered them. " Ino was really excited when I told her we would be going out for lunch."

" Really?"

" Yeah. She started saying stuff like we're going out on a date and that you look at me differently than a friend would… Can you believe her?" She scoffed, tugging a pink lock of hair behind her ear and giggling at how absurd that sounded. " That Pig…"

" Hn, and to what conclusion did you reach from this talk?"

" Well… That you and I are just bonding, I guess. That we're finally becoming good friends."

"… Good friends?" A sarcastic smirk found its way to his lips, and she realized how hard it was for him to hold back a giggle. " Yeah, sure."

The look on his face was anything but expected from a boy like Uchiha Sasuke. Never in all the years they've known each other had she seen him do as much as smile in public, and now, out of nowhere, he was truly finding her silly talk with Ino funny.

What on earth was happening to him?

She certainly had no idea.

But as an honest, good friend, he wouldn't mind telling her the truth. After all, Uchiha Sasuke was never the shy kind of boy when it came to his feelings.

" What's the matter, Sasuke-kun? Did I say something funny and worthy of your sarcasm?"

" Well, to be honest, you did."

" Would you mind pointing out exactly what?"

" Hn." He adjusted his position on the chair, looking at her straight in the eyes. His expression was as calm as ever, and that was the one thing intriguing her the most. " The whole friend thing. Ino's right. I don't see you as a friend at all, Sakura."

Her emeralds widened, her heart skipped a beat, and her mouth went agape for a couple of seconds before the pinkette could actually come up with somewhat of an answer. " W-What?!" A mix of anger and embarrassment was taking over her senses, and at that moment, Sakura had absolutely no idea of what was happening anymore. " What are you talking about, Sasuke-kun?"

" Tch, all I'm saying is that I see you as more than a friend or a good friend. I thought you knew about that already."

Slowly, as the meaning behind his words sunk in, she could feel her body temperature rising. Her cheeks were as red as tomatoes, and suddenly it became hard to breath. The pinkette could be clueless about many things, but at that moment, she knew exactly what he meant with his words.

Sasuke liked her.

Fuck, she thought.

Fuck, that was not supposed to have happened like that. It was supposed to happen, of course, but not in such a weird and confused way like it did! She wanted them to eventually realize their feelings for one another like she had planned when she was a little girl, and then there would be flowers and people would be smiling and— god, she was freaking out!

Haruno Sakura was freaking out because Uchiha Sasuke had basically told her he liked her after she told him about her talk with Ino earlier.

Oh, crap, she couldn't believe that was the story she was going to tell their kid once they asked her.

"H-How was I supposed to know that?!"

" Ino knew it."

" But Ino has problems! And for how long has… this been going on?"

" Hn, I don't know… Thinking back now, I don't think I've ever seen you as a friend, Sakura."

" WHAT!?"

" Tch, why are you so mad? It's not that bad, okay?"

" I'm not mad! I'm just trying to understand what the hell is going on here!"

" Isn't it pretty obvious, Sakura?"

" No, Sasuke, it isn't. I would appreciate if you started using words. Real words." She knitted her brows at him, now glaring at the boy with raven hair. Her legs were crossed and even the Uchiha knew better than to piss her off when she was so close to unleash her anger.

That was certainly not how he had planned things to work out.

" Tch, you're annoying."

" And you're impossible."

" Can't you just enjoy our date?"

" Oh, so this is a date?"

" Yes! What did you think it was?"

" A friendly lunch!"

" You don't have friendly lunches with the people you love, Sakura. You don't—"

He swallowed his voice before he could compromise himself any further. Her eyes widened, her heart skipped a beat and they both started dumbfoundedly at each other. Slowly, as he realized the words that had escaped his lips, his cheeks started to grow redder. His hand was shaking, and that pout made its way back to his face. A smile was taking care of her rosy lips, now, and the Haruno girl had no idea of how to react to such thing.

Never before had she seen the Uchiha like that.

But never before had he confessed his feelings for a person.

His expression showed her he had no idea of how to get out of that situation anymore, and all the awkwardness from before dissipated as soon as she saw how lost he was. Sasuke was embarrassed, nervous and happy after accidentally telling her how he feels. It was weird, but also the most overwhelming thing she had ever seen.

Maybe Ino was right, after all.

They were not friends. They were never meant to be friends, and she was more than happy with that. She was more than happy to be having lunch with that person in front of her.

A person that was never her friend and that, after that day, would never be.

He has always been more than that.

And that was really something.

" So… You love me, now?"

" Tch… In all these years, how did you get slower than me?"

" You …love me."

" Are you gonna keep repeating that now?"

" You love me!"

" Can we at least have lunch?"

" Sure! It's a date!"

Yes. Definitely something.

* * *

 **A/N** : _Guess what? I'm already late! I don't think there will ever be a time when I'll actually finish all the prompts in time, but better late than never, right? Well, this one is supposed to be a funny one and I gotta say it took me some time to imagine what that grumpy Uchiha would do in a situation like that. Personally, I don't feel like he is the embarrassed kind, so I've decided to make Uchiha Sasuke a straight forward man in this story XD Hope you've enjoyed, and please, leave me a Review! Make the author happy, will you?_


	3. Day 3- Chemistry

**SasuSaku Month 2017**

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 **Day 3- Chemistry**

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 **Title** : _Behind the Cameras_

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 **Summary** : _AU- Sasuke and Sakura are famous movie stars that are secretly dating. They're about to attend their own movie's premier, and it will be hard to convince people that what happened on the screen was just acting_.

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 **A/N** : _Okay… This fic is the fruit of shipping real people, ladies and gentlemen. Don't do this, okay? My life was ruined by it, and even if I'm having the time of my life, I'm ashamed of myself for doing what I'm doing. They're just too cute XD Anyway, if any of you have been into the whole Sprousehart thing, I'm sure you'll understand this fic a bit better. And if you've seen Cole Sprouse's interview the other day, I'm sure you'll find Sasuke's words familiar XD Well, I hope you enjoy this, and please, leave me a Review!_

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Her hair was still soaked by the time she left bathroom of her hotel master-bedroom. Steam enveloped her whole figure, and a white, cotton robe hugged her body in the softest of the ways. The sun light was shyly entering through the partially opened windows, hitting the big, glass table, where a beautiful bouquet of white lilies rested inside a crystal jar. The card attached to it said 'Good Luck', and for some reason, she knew everything would be okay that day.

The hotel crew had been extremely kind for sending her those flowers, and also for all of the other things they had been providing her during her short stay in the city. They would always smile at her whenever she crossed the lobby, and even if she had insisted on paying for all the free food they had been giving her, the manager forbid her, threatening not to charge for her stay at all if she kept insisting.

It was their way to thank her for choosing them, the concierge would say, to which she would always answer with a smile followed by a sweet comment, such as 'blame the breakfast cupcakes'.

For a famous movie star such as Haruno Sakura, only the best, they would tell her.

And they had, indeed, given her the best any hotel could've offered her in order to make sure she would always choose them whenever she was staying in Konoha, be it for an informal visit, or another movie premiere they knew the young star would eventually attend.

But as her stunning emerald eyes tenderly rested on her unmade bed, and on the practically naked man under her sheets, she remembered exactly why she chose that hotel.

The scene in front of her was more than simply overwhelming. His lower part was covered by the thin, silk sheets, and she watched as the muscles of his back followed the soothing rhythm of his sleepy breathing. His skin was pale and soft, and she couldn't help but smile at the pout forming on his lips as he was clearly fighting the urge to wake up. Spiked, dark hair fell over his closed eyes, and her body warmed up at the delightful memory of their night together.

If anyone found him there, barely naked and with her, it would be the one story people wouldn't stop talking about that soon. Her short career was still rising and the movie she was promoting was the first, big movie she had ever been a part of. Things were going well in her professional life, and she certainly did not need those gossip magazines finding out about her secret romance with Konoha's most popular young actor, aka her cast mate, Uchiha Sasuke.

Thanks to the amount of time they had to spend together in order to film their new movie, both Sasuke and Sakura started to grow closer in something that quickly developed into a strong feeling neither of them could exactly name. Even if at first he barely talked to her and his stoic mood got on her nerves a couple of times, time made sure to change everything and replace it all by tender gazes and warm touches. They knew they should've remained professionals and avoided any personal connection that was more than just a friendship, but all those late practices and the shared kisses on the screen ended up getting the best of them.

The main actor falls for the main girl. What a cliché, they would tease.

A cliché they were more than happy to live.

And when he told her he would be staying at the ANBU hotel for their movie premiere, well, it was not a coincidence to see her also booking herself a room there. She used a pseudonym and requested the hotel to make sure her privacy was not disturbed by anyone with a cellphone in hand. They attended to her requests, and after coincidentally getting herself a room on the same floor as his, the Haruno girl knew she had chosen the best hotel of the city.

The cupcakes certainly made all the difference, though.

She held her lower lip in between her teeth in somewhat of an excited gesture, as she slowly crawled to bed, feeling her legs brushing against the soft material of the sheets. She approached him from behind, and as soon as her lips were close to his ear, Sakura blew softly, making him wince in annoyance.

Sasuke hates when she does it.

And that's why it's always funny.

" Aren't you gonna wake up, sleeping beauty? We should be getting ready already. Naruto will be here in less than 2 hours."

" Uhmm…" He scoffed, letting out a sleepy sound, and mumbling some incoherent words. He brought a hand to his face, as if to scratch his still closed eyes, and allowed a yawn to escape his lips. " Can't you just bring me my suit?"

" Are you insane? Stop being so lazy, Uchiha. You're gonna have to go back to your room one way or another."

" Which way will let me sleep for 5 minutes more?"

" Oh, come on." She started, kneeling behind him and letting her weight sink in the mattress. " Wake up already, will you?"

" Can't you just leave me here?"

" Of course not! You're in the movie too, remember?"

" So what? Many actors don't attend to their movie premiers."

" Oh, please, you are not staying in the hotel, Sasuke-kun. We've worked really hard for the movie, and there's no way I'm walking out there alone, shannarou!" She scoffed, knitting her brows at him. " Besides, If people see me out there, they will want to come up and clean the room. What are you gonna tell them when they see you? That you're here and that you're still lying in, barely naked, but nothing really happened because we're professionals?"

" Hn, Sounds like a good plan." He smirked, bringing the covers closer and trying to go back to sleep.

" You're impossible."

A pout, then, went to play on her lips, as she looked at the almost asleep boy in front of her. Even if he is a young actor, he was acting like a grumpy old man, who would rather stay in bed instead of going out to a movie premier— his movie premier. He is stubborn and stoic, and even if the magazines keep insisting that everything is just a facade, she can confirm that there is no such thing as a funny, adorable Sasuke.

If there was, then, there was no way they would be together.

Sighing defeatedly, she turned around and sat on the edge of the bed. Her bare feet were in touch with the carpet, and slowly, she stretched her body and moved her neck in order to release some of the tension still lingering over her muscles due to their late night activities. Sakura was getting ready to get out of that room, and she was going to take him with her. She had promised Naruto she would do so.

If he was going to act like a child, then she was going to treat him like one.

" You know…" She started, her voice showing out no emotion. " You do whatever you want. I'll leave the 'do not disturb' sign outside the door and I'll go meet Naruto there. When you leave, make sure no one sees you, and try at least to watch the whole thing. Be sure to check on Naruto and me when we walk togeth—"

And before she could even finish her sentence, she realized her plan had worked out. Her ears captured the sheets moving behind her, and in a blink of an eye, she could already feel his hot breath fanning over her shoulder. A smirk crossed her lips, and she could feel satisfaction spreading around her veins at yet another well done job.

The Uchiha was just so predictable. How did he even grow to be an actor?

" Oh, Are you up now?"

" Tch, You're annoying."

A chuckle escaped her lips, and before she knew it, he had pulled her down against the mattress, making her back press against the soft sheets and her head fall over his still covered lap. His face was leaning over hers, and the smile that remained after her chuckle was probably the one thing every camera would die to film. It was the first time that morning their eyes were meeting, and in the same way she was happy to see his dark orbs, she could clearly see how he reacted to her emerald ones.

Waking up felt good, after all.

" Good morning, Sasuke-kun." She smiled, a soft blush taking over her cheeks and her short, pink hair was splayed over his leg. "Did you sleep well?"

" Hn, morning." He scratched the back of his neck, yawning one last time. His eyes kept watching her, taking in all of her features and appreciating her au naturale beauty. Whenever they were filming scenes where they were face to face, he could always see the unnecessary amount of make up they put on her, and even if she did look good, it was impossible to compare to her clear, fresh face.

A face which only a few people had the opportunity to see.

A girl only a few have the opportunity to truly meet.

Hauro Sakura is a very beautiful girl, and the photographers are right to want to take her pics. With that irreverent, short, pink hair of hers; and with those vibrant, green eyes; she exposes the exotic beauty of a modern girl, not missing out the class and the simplicity of such delicate youth. She's inspiring people all around the country with her words— which are wise and truthful— and it's easy to tell that her acting skills will take her to the top.

She's an impeccable actress in front of the cameras.

But when she's away from the lens, he knows she's still an impeccable girl. An impeccable and annoying girl who never fails to mess with his feelings.

He should've stayed away when he had the chance.

" We should get going." He said, looking down at the girl who was apparently enjoying her current position.

" Yeah… Can't I just stay here a little longer?" She smirked, playing with the hem of the covers.

" Tch… Get up already, will you?"

" Or what, Sasuke-kun?" Her face now looked serious, and it was as if he could see a growing passion inside her eyes. Her intentions behind those words were more than clear, and he suddenly felt himself holding back the urge to kiss her passionately.

He swallowed dry, unable to look away from her eyes.

Damn those acting skills of hers.

A soft chuckle, then, escaped her lips bringing him back to reality. She sat up from her position, turning around to face him with a silly look, winking at his annoyed, sleepy expression. " Just kidding. We don't have time for this anymore."

Damn that chemistry.

" Tch, I guess I should be going then." He said, finally standing up and putting on his pants.

" I'll text you when Naruto arrives so we can go together, okay?" She stood up, as well, picking up his shirt from the floor and giving it to him.

" Aah." He took the piece from her hands, nodding as to acknowledge her gesture. " Thank you."

" Are you thanking me for the night or what?" She quirked an eyebrow, clearly trying to tease him.

" Hn." He smirked, leaning down to peck on her lips one last time before finally walking towards the door. " Shouldn't you be the one thanking me, new girl? It's a rough business and more than talent, it's important to have contacts."

"Nahh… As far as I remember, I got casted before you did, Uchiha."

" In your dreams, Haruno." He looked at her one more time, offering somewhat of a smile at the pinkette. She smiled back at him, with her hands resting on her hips, as she tenderly watched him looking out at the hallway in order not to be spotted.

Even if she was the one who told him to go and change himself, it was a bit sad to see him walking away like that. Due to the secrecy of their relationship, they couldn't risk being caught in the same room, and until the publicity events were over, they had decided not to tell the press about anything.

More than anything, they wanted their privacy so they could keep living a life as normal as their conditions allowed them to, finding new and creative ways to sneak in and out without being caught by the flashes. It was all a matter of keeping the appearances for a little longer, she knew. And as actors, doing so would be a piece of cake.

It was all a matter of playing parts, they knew.

But—oh!— she couldn't wait for the day when she would finally be able to play the character she wanted to play the most in her life.

The part that will let her play Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke's official girlfriend.

And she certainly can't wait for that.

" Don't be late, okay?"

" I won't. See you soon."

" Bye, Sasuke-kun."

* * *

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" Sakura! Sasuke! A photo! Please! Here!"

A mess of flashes and microphones was taking over the entrance of the Konoha theatre, as the stars were finally making their way through the red carpet. Dresses and suits were moving around, and the press was there, ready to record everything and to try and get a word or two from the actors.

It was an exciting afternoon in Konoha, and even if everyone was shinning at that moment, it was undeniable that all the eyes were paying close attention on Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. They had arrived together, along with their cast mate Uzumaki Naruto, and ever since she stepped on that carpet with her heels, the screams have reached new volumes.

He came by wearing the classic, black suit, showing elegance and charm at every picture taken. Girls were screaming out his name and throwing him plushy tomatoes, and when she finally joined him for a picture, the entire place almost fell apart in excitement.

She was wearing a soft, loosened, pearl-colored dress that reached just above her knees, and her short, pink hair was tied up in somewhat of a delicate bun, with her bangs framing her face. Her jewels were elegant and simple, and the beige heels lifted her high enough so she was just a little shorter than the Uchiha.

They looked perfect together. So young, fresh and elegant. And when they were finally posing— with his hand on her waist— both the Uchiha and the Haruno managed to explode some hearts due to pure excitement.

The leading duo was adored by the fans, and every journalist was dying to interview them.

It was their moment. And after the pinkette was finally released from the horde of fans begging for selfies and autographs, she could finally join her cast mate in the first of so many other interviews the would have to give that day.

Perks of being famous, for sure.

"So, I'm here with the hottest duo of the moment, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sakura!" Moegi— a known reporter for the Konoha Journal— was the first in the row, and her excited face showed how happy she was with that interview. " Are you guys excited to be here?"

" Of course!" The pink haired girl answered with a shining smile, earning screams from the fans behind her.

" Hn." He nodded, holding back the urge to say no.

" Well, first of all, congratulations for the movie! It's a success already!"

" Thank you very much! I think we've managed to actually do something, right, Sasuke-kun?"

" Aah. I'm sure people will like." He complimented, hiding his hands in his pockets.

" You guys are so cute! Tell me, how are you reacting with all these response from the fans? I mean, there are some rumors going around that you guys are actually together, and they even have a name for that… Which was it—"

" SasuSaku." Sakura said, chuckling. " The fans are incredible with this whole shipping thing, honestly. And it's funny how it catches, you know? When we were recording our scenes together, even the director was, like, 'Hey! SasuSaku! Your turn now! Someone get me my salad!"

" Oh my god!" The reporter laughed along, still holding the mic so the Uchiha could honor her with a comment that consisted in more than 5 words and a weird sound. " What do you think about this, Sasuke?"

" … Hn, I think it's normal for people to presume that there's something going on since Sakura and I are playing characters that are in a relationship. It's a part of the process, and if they're having fun, then I don't really care about the whole thing."

" Wow! So shipping SasuSaku is actually allowed?"

" It's not like we can control it, after all." He concluded, turning his head around to look at Naruto. The blond was calling them for a group pic, and as improbable as that could sound, Sasuke wanted to join his best friend.

" The internet, right?" The reporter chuckled, looking at Sakura one more time. " To wrap it up since I know you guys gotta go, why do you think people are so in love with the way you play your characters and the way they bond together? Honestly, it's huge!"

"Well… We get along really well, you know. I guess that's the secret." The pinkette started, sparing a tender glance at the Uchiha and biting her lower lip in the process. It was clear that their eyes were chatting, and even if it didn't last long, the reporter certainly felt left out in the middle of them.

In the back of her mind, the Haruno knew exactly the answer to that question, but she knew better than to reveal their secret in the middle of an interview. If she actually told Moegi that half of their kissing scenes were actually real, then there was no way she would let them walk away without further questions. The fans would freak out, the flashes would blind them and their phones wouldn't stop buzzing from notifications.

That confession would create a massive mess.

And for the moment, they just wanted to enjoy their movie.

" You guys have amazing chemistry! Congrats!"

" Oh, yeah… We have chemistry, indeed."


	4. Day 4- Lean on Me

**SasuSaku Month 2017**

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 **Day 4- Lean on Me**

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 **Title** : Taking Care of You

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 **Summary** : Sasuke, Naruto and Boruto have just returned from their fight against Momoshiki. Sakura was waiting for them, and she was ready to take care of her boys.

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Her heart was beating faster with every minute gone by with no sign of them. Lungs demanding for air, adrenaline running through her veins and her hands were sweating in pure anxiety, as the pink haired woman was clearly afraid of the unknown. She was terrified, for her boys were still out there— wherever the hell out there was— and yet, she had to keep it all inside because she was not alone on the top of the Hokage tower. There were people around her. Her subordinates, her friends and her daughter, and they were all depending on her strength.

They were all scared. Probably more so than her. They were praying and holding each other's hands in order to unite forces, as their hope slowly escaped their hearts.

It reminded her of how it felt to watch it all from behind as her comrades risked their lives fighting Madara. When she was left to heal those who needed, while she could only hear the despair from all those scared souls, and when everyone was looking at her as if expecting she would offer them protection and comfort.

Yes, it felt just like the war, again. With all those eyes and that heavy atmosphere, Sakura could feel the weight of the world falling over her shoulders. And just like that time— and during so many others—, when the ones surrounding her started to lose faith, the Uchiha matriarch took it upon herself to make sure no one gave up. Even if she didn't have answers, and even if she was as lost as all those around her, she had to be strong. No matter what, she was not letting anyone give up on them.

" Listen, everyone!" Her voice was strong and confident, bringing all those lost souls back to reality. " Don't you dare lower your heads right now! Giving up is useless while we're still able to fight! They're fighting for us! They're risking their lives out there, they will need us when they get back! So don't be cowards, Shannarou!"

At her powerful words, it was as if everyone was punched right in the guts by her monstrous strength. Her emerald eyes watched as the expressions around her changed, and her ears captured the new, confident whispers coming from behind her back. Eyes were still focused on her, while hers were still looking at the spot where her husband had first opened the portal, and her body language didn't change at all since she first arrived at the top of that tower.

Uchiha Sakura is the strongest woman in that village, and it was only normal for her to take over the responsibilities of those who were gone. After a while, she got used to people leaning on her whenever hope was lost, and no matter what, she knew she had to live up to all those expectations. She's the one in charge when the Hokage is away, and she's the head of the clan while her husband isn't home. She's a mother, a medic and a warrior, and wether it's only for a couple of hours or years, she's not backing off of her duties.

Not when her strength was needed.

Not when they needed her.

Time went by, and unlike her, many people went home to rest. The Uchiha girls stood still without moving a single centimeter, and only a few of her subordinates were there, behind her. They were ready to welcome the boys and take care of them, and even in the chill of dawn no one dared giving up on her will. Even if they were tired and even if they actually considered the possibility of both the Hokage and the Uchiha to be dead, not a single one of them was abandoning her that night.

Not when she needed them the most.

It was just a matter of time, she knew. Or at least she thought she knew because those were the words she had been repeating in her head ever since they entered that stupid portal.

They had to come back.

And fortunately, after what felt like an eternity, they did.

" They're here." She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath until she felt that immense amount of chakra suddenly disturbing her senses. Her eyes went wide, her hands turned into fists, and soon, that purple circle appeared in front of her. Her lungs suddenly released all the air trapped inside, and as soon as she saw the three of them alive, the Uchiha mother allowed herself to express a relieved emotion in front of those who had remained.

At last, they were home.

" Sasuke-kun! Naruto!"

" Boruto! Papa!"

In a blink of an eye, both the Uchiha girls were there, next to them, and quickly, Sakura's hands were on both of her teammates' chests as to make sure they were fine. The two men and the blond boy were all covered in dirt and blood, and even if they were clearly exhausted, there was a tired smile playing on their lips as they all fought to carry each other's weight. Her husband had his arm around the Hokage, who was doing his best not to crash over his best friend, and even if a part of her wanted to hug them and cry like when they were younger, the pinkette held back her protective instincts. They were breathing hard, especially the Uchiha, and her clinical eyes didn't miss the bruises decorating their figures.

They were hurt and exhausted, and yet, those smiles didn't leave their faces for a single moment since they arrived.

Those idiots, she thought.

" Hey, Sakur-"

" Sarada! You should've seen me-ttebasa!" Boruto's excited voice cut both the Uchiha and the Hokage, who has started their sentence at the same time. "I saved the entire world!"

" Shut up, Baka-Boruto! You're all hurt and you're still trying to show off-shannarou!" The younger girl placed her hands on her hips, glaring at her teammate in the same way her mother used to when she was her age. Even if she knew how Sarada was worried about Boruto, there was just no way her daughter would welcome him with a hug.

" I'm not showing off! Tell her, Sasuke-jiisan!"

" Hn, leave me out of this." Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes in exhaustion.

"Eh!? Dad, help me out!"

" Hehe… If I were you, I wouldn't provoke her, Boruto. She has Sakura-chan's temper, and that could be deadly-ttebayo!" Naruto nodded, remembering the pinkette and her heavy hand smacking his head.

" Tch, you stupid old man! Thanks for having my back after I went to another dimension to save you, dattebasa!"

" He's right about this, Dobe." The Uchiha opened his eyes again, looking at his little girl as if to foresee her next move.

" Yeah… " The Hokage started, scratching the back of his neck. " Yosh! Then let us all go to Ichiraku for ramen-ttebayo!" He shouted, moving carelessly and almost causing them to fall to the ground. Naruto was as excited as his younger-self, smiling brightly and lighting up the whole atmosphere. At the sound of his laughter, her heart felt lighter due to the familiarity of that scene, but just because of that hopeful nostalgia and that relieved feeling taking over her senses; it didn't mean Sakura would simply ignore her responsibilities as a doctor. Not when they needed her.

Not when those reckless, irresponsible idiots were back.

" Then it's all settled! You and your mother are coming too, right, Sarada? Teme, you're paying-ttebay—"

" Uzumaki Naruto!" Her arms were crossed over her chest, her emerald eyes were dangerously glaring at him, and the strong tone in which her voice came out was enough to bring the blonde some painful memories. He swallowed dry, defensively looking at her, and it was as if he could already feel her punch coming. Certain things certainly don't change. " You're not going to Ichiraku! None of you are! You are all going to the hospital right now."

" B-But Sakura-chan…" He tried, but her glare made him swallow all his words.

" Holy shit!" Boruto started, as he smiled widely. " Dad's getting scolded!"

" Hn, he's lucky she hasn't punched him yet." Sasuke joked, smirking.

" Don't think you're escaping this, Uchiha Sasuke! You're going to the hospital as well!"

"Tch."

" Honestly, you two are impossible."

A sigh escaped her lips, and soon, her fingers were massaging the bridge of her nose. Both her husband and her best friend are more irresponsible than her daughter, and even after years by her side, they still thought it would be okay to go out for ramen instead of the hospital after an inter-dimensional battle.

No wonder why she's always mad at them.

" Okay, let's just get over with this already. Sarada, you help Boruto. "

" Aah." Sarada nodded, getting behind her teammate, who gave her a weird look.

"You two take the Hokage." Sakura said, talking to her subordinates, who quickly moved next to the Uzumaki to follow her orders. Naruto might be the Hokage, but she's the boss.

" Oi! What about Sasuke-jiisan?" Boruto screamed, with his arm already around Sarada's shoulder.

" Hn, I don't need to go to—"

" Oh, he's going. I'm taking him."

" What?"

" You've heard me. Now come on…" She started, pushing the Uchiha away from the Uzumaki, who was already being held by her subordinates. " Lean on me."

At her words, all the eyes were set on the Uchiha couple. Everyone was curious to see if THE Uchiha Sasuke would actually accept help from his wife. Naruto seemed to be enjoying himself too much at that moment, and if Boruto wasn't too busy paying attention to his tutor's expression, he would've seen the smile threatening to ruin Sarada's serious face. They all know how grumpy and independent that man tries to be, and if he did something as accept the help from his wife in front of everyone, then people wouldn't forget about that scene so soon.

That was truly a historical moment happening in Konoha.

But Uchiha Sakura knew nothing would happen if the kids— Naruto included— were watching.

" What are you all still doing here? To the hospital! Now!" Her scaring scream was enough to break all that suspense created by the Uchiha's decision, and in a blink of an eye, the couple was left behind.

If there was one thing all those people shared was the fear of the mad pink haired woman. Sakura could have the best healing hands of the entire world, but she wouldn't think twice before using those hands to destroy a wall or two.

She's strong, smart and really scary.

At least she wouldn't have any problems when carrying him to the hospital.

By the time they were all gone, they were left awkwardly staring at each other. He was still struggling not to collapse, and she was giving him her famous 'what-are-you-waiting-for' look. Even if they are a married couple, some things never really stop being weird.

" What are you waiting for? Give me your arm."

" Tch, you're not carrying me to the hospital, Sakura."

" Are you serious? You can't even walk, Sasuke!"

" I can go to the hospital without my wife."

" Can you just stop being so stubborn? It's not like I've never carried you before."

" Hn, I'm fine."

" No, you're not."

" Watch me." He said, trying to take a step forward, but falling in her conveniently prepared arms. She glared at him, and when Sasuke realized there was no way his body would allow him to refuse her help, his pride got stuck in his throat and he went mute.

That stubborn Uchiha.

Her hands were holding him close, and for the first time since he left, Sakura could finally feel his body heat against her. A longing feeling suddenly started to take over her senses, and it didn't take long before she started to shake. What ifs and could have's started to cross her mind, and it was as if all the feelings she had suppressed were taking over the responsible medic.

All her doubts, fears and suspicions were overflowing, and for the first time since she arrived at the top of that tower, the head medic allowed herself to let go of all that emotionless facade. Now that he was there, and now that he was safe, Uchiha Sakura could finally allow herself to feel.

" Sasuke-kun…" She whispered, causing him to tilt his head so he could face her. Their eyes were connected, and at that moment, he could finally see how worried his wife was. Her lips were trembling, her hands were shaking— he noticed— and her grip on his forearm was tightening with every passing seconds, as if she was afraid of loosing him.

She still is his Sakura, after all.

" Sakura—"

" You've been out there fighting for us until now… Let me take care of you… Please, lean on me."

His expression softened, an accepting sigh leaving his chest. Sasuke couldn't act indifferent towards his wife, not even if he wanted to. The way she sacrifices herself- both physically and emotionally- makes him feel worried and even a bit guilty for causing her so much trouble. Just like him, Sakura doesn't like to rely on people that much, which, as he has learned, can be a little troublesome depending on what happens.

She's stubborn. Even more than him.

And if he would have to do things such as let her carry him to the hospital in order to make her share her burdens, then he would do it. " Fine."

" Uh?"

" I said fine. Come on, give me a hand."

Her face lit up at his words, and soon, a soft smile was taking over her rosy lips. Sakura seemed calmer now, and carefully, she wasted no time before putting his arm around her shoulder. He leaned his weight on her, and she quickly placed her arm around his waist, making sure he was safe in her arms.

Just like many times during their younger days, Sakura remembered carrying him home after he exceeded himself. It was hard, at first, but she quickly got used to it, for it was her chance of showing how much she truly cared for him. And she still does, in that same pure and innocent way from when they were kids.

Sakura still loves him, and more than ever, she was happy to know he could still swallow his pride and stubbornness to lean on her. After all those years, it was still good to know her husband could still allow himself to count on her.

Be it for walking him to the hospital or taking care of their family, Uchiha Sasuke would lean on his wife to take care of the things he couldn't.

And taking care of him was the one thing he could always count on her for.

" Welcome home, Darling."

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 **A/N:** At first, I really thought about making something more subjective for this, but the whole Boruto thing got me too excited not to have a little husband/ wife helping moment XD I once saw this comic that showed what happened as soon as the boys returned, and I wanted to give it a try with my ideas! Hope you've enjoyed it, and please, make the author happy and leave me a review!


	5. Day 5- Sweat, Blood & Tears

**SasuSaku Month 2017**

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 **Day 05- Blood, Sweat and Tears**

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 **Title:** _Heal_

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 **Summary** : _It's been a rough day for Haruno Sakura, and even if there's nothing he can do, Sasuke is tired of just watching as she destroys herself. He doesn't want to see her hurting herself. Not anymore._

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 **A/N:** _I'm so so sorry for taking so long to post this one! It took me forever to finish and I'm not really sure if it ended the way I wanted it to end. I'm a bit insecure about this one, so please, forgive me if it turned out weird. No matter what, I hope you've enjoy it! Please, tell me what you think about it, okay?!_

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" SHANNAROU!"

A characteristic, crashing sound followed her raging mantra for what was probably the 30th time since they had arrived. Huge stonewalls were falling apart around her, dust dancing with the breeze and sticking to her panting body. She was breathing hard— they could see—but it didn't take long for the pinkette to charge yet another punch at another rock.

Haruno Sakura had been doing that for hours now, and even if her chakra levels were incredibly low, the girl showed no sign of quitting her activities that soon. She was pissed, completely taken over by frustration and disappointment as she condemned herself to use all her muscles until exhaustion.

She was punishing herself. She was irresponsibly driving herself to her own limit, and even if they wanted her to stop, neither the Uzumaki nor the Uchiha moved a finger to prevent her from breaking another rock. It would be of no use, they knew it, hence, the only thing they could do for her at that moment was watch.

All they could do was watch as she destroyed herself.

But just watching never did either of them any good. Especially not when it was clear that she needed help.

" For how long does she usually stay like this?" His voice was low when he asked that question, his eyes not leaving the girl for a single moment as she was still destroying rocks. Sasuke had his hand hidden inside his pocket, and he rested his back against the trunk of a tree that stood some good meters away from her. His expression was as stoic as always, but his best friend knew better than to simply assume he didn't care about the rosette.

Sasuke was worried about her. They both were, but unlike the raven haired boy, Naruto had seen her like that before. He had already seen that side of hers, and for having already tried everything he knew to make her feel better, the blond knew leaving her alone was the only thing that truly worked.

Even if it took him some time to get used to that idea, eventually, Naruto understood that there was nothing he could do for her.

" It depends. One time she only stood there for a couple of hours, but there was another time when she only stopped after collapsing. I had to take her home that day, and she was still living with her parents-ttebayo."

"Hn, and how many times have you seen her doing this?"

" Uhm… I don't know for sure. It happened a few times before the war, but I've seen her coming up here more often since we came home."

" Have you tried talking to her?"

" Oh, believe me, Teme… If there's one thing she doesn't wanna do while crushing these rocks, is talk. I've almost lost my head once-ttebayo."

"Tch."

As Sasuke gritted his teeth, Naruto could obviously see how not doing anything was slowly killing him inside. Even if the raven haired boy denied it with all his might, it was impossible not to see the tenderness in his eyes whenever he looked at her. There's no doubt in the Uzumaki's mind that both his teammates have a deeper and more intimate bond than anyone in the village could ever understand, and at that moment, that bond was the reason why the Uchiha was so troubled by what she was doing.

For he had only witnessed the powerful and the caring version of the Haruno girl, Sasuke was having a really hard time as his eyes were meeting that destructive side of hers. Watching all that anger and strength aimed at herself was making him nervous, and even if Naruto had already warned him, chances were the Uchiha would simply ignore his best friend's words and jump in that turbulence of punches and rocks.

He couldn't just do nothing. Not when she was in such pain.

Both of his teammates are too stubborn to simply act like normal people and admit things. And perhaps, Naruto thought, something good could come out from that. Maybe the Uchiha could succeed where he failed, and maybe— just maybe— he could make her stop.

Maybe, he could help her heal.

" Well…" Naruto started, pushing himself away from the trunk. The Uchiha's eyes watched as he stretched his back, and let out a tired sigh. " Take care of her for me, will you, Teme?"

" What? Are you leaving?"

" Yep. Now that your lazy ass is finally back, I can take a break from the whole concerned teammate thing-ttebayo."

" Tch, You're good for nothing, Dobe."

" Hehe." Naruto grinned, placing his hand inside his pocket and taking the first steps towards Ichiraku. " Have fun, Sasuke. And make sure she gets home safe."

" Hn."

A defeated sigh escaped the Uchiha's lungs just as the blond disappeared from sight. His dark eyes were still looking at the pinkette, and his head was playing tricks on him, slowly convincing him to ignore what Naruto had said earlier and just walk up to her. Sasuke was getting tired of seeing her hurting herself like that. He was tired, and even pissed at himself for not doing anything because of what his best friend had told him. It's true that the Dobe knows her better than he will ever know, and that his words are probably right, but—

A huge explosion broke his train of thought, and before he knew it, Sasuke was already getting ready to walk away from the comfort of his steady position.

Oh screw it, he thought.

In a blink of an eye, he found himself in front of her upcoming attack. As if in slow motion, the raven haired boy, thanks to his now activated sharingan, watched as her eyes widened at his sudden appearance, obviously worried about the fist heading straight to his face. It was clear that it was already too late for her to stop the attack, so with his hand on her wrist, Sasuke simply changed the course of her punch, sending it to the rock behind him, missing his face by just a few centimeters.

It had been a reckless move, he knew.

But it was not like she hadn't done something like this when they were younger, right?

The explosion happened behind him, and he simply stood still, as small shards of the rock hit his back. During his course changing move, Sakura lost her balance, and as the dust settled in, he turned to see her coughing on the ground. "What the fuck, Sasuke!? Are you trying to get yourself hit?"

He watched as she stumbled up, not bothering to pat the dust away from her ripped clothes. There were bruises spread all over her body— especially on her gloveless hands— and sweat had made sure to serve as a glue to all the dirt, tinging her pale skin in a light tone of brown. Sakura was panting heavily, her hands were shaking and even if she was pissed at him for interrupting her, it was possible to see that she was more pissed at herself for whatever reason that had brought her to that rocky desert behind the Hokages monument.

The pinkette was destroyed, he could tell. All that anger in her eyes reflected a tormented soul, and if that wasn't enough, he could still see the fading tracks left by her now dry tears. He had never seen her like that. At that moment, the great warrior Haruno Sakura was worthy of his pity.

But he would never allow himself to feel such thing towards her.

Not after knowing about everything she's gone though during her short life.

" What are you even doing here all alone, Sakura?"

" Training, what does it look like?"

The words kept stuck in his throat, and he held himself not to say the words that crossed his mind. Anger started to take over his senses, for it was more than clear that she was lying to him. Sakura was lying to the only one in the entire village who could understand her useless effort in trying to use pain to shut her demons.

She was lying to the only one who could help her.

And for Uchiha Sasuke, that was unacceptable.

" I'm not an idiot." He glared at her, trying his best to intimidate the pink haired girl. " What happened?"

"…" Her anger expression suddenly disappeared, leaving behind a hurtful one. She looked away from his condemning eyes, bitting her lower lip in what he believed to be another way to force the silence inside her soul. " It's none of your business."

" Yes, it is, because if it was the other way around, you wouldn't give up on trying to help me. So just spill it out."

" Tch, this is not the same thing. It's not about revenge or hatred. There's no use in telling you about this."

" Try me."

A defeated, impatient sigh escaped her lips, as she massaged her temples. " Leave me alone, Sasuke. I'm not in the mood for this right now."

" Oh, but you are in the mood to keep breaking rocks until you pass out, right?"

She scoffed, clenching her fists and turning away from him. He watched as she took a deep breath before looking around for another big rock to destroy. " Go home. It's late already."

It didn't take long before the stubborn girl started to walk away from him, not bothering to give him as much as a stupid explanation regarding her behavior. Sakura was simply going to ignore him, and even if Sasuke never really liked forcing people to talk about their feelings, he liked it even less when people deliberately left him hanging.

He was not going to accept that kind of attitude.

Especially not from her.

With a pout decorating his lips, the Uchiha looked around, and quickly had an idea that could be as good as it was dangerous. He leaned down to catch a shard from one of the crumbled rocks surrounding him, and with enough strength, he threw it at her, hitting Sakura on her lower back. At first, she ignored his childish act, but after the 5th rock, the short-tempered girl gave in his provocations and turned to face him, a deadly glare decorating her emerald eyes.

" Can you stop it!? You're acting like a child-shannarou!"

" You're the child here, Sakura."

" No, I'm not! You're the one being inconvenient here! I'm just trying to train on my own!"

" You're hurting yourself."

" So what!?"

" This isn't training, and you know it."

" Call it whatever you want, Sasuke. I'm not stopping just because Naruto has sent you here."

" … Hn, You're so annoying."

" Tch." She turned around once more, her fists clenching until her knuckles turned white. Sakura was trying her best not to lose control over that childish act, but as soon as another shard hit her shoulder, the pinkette couldn't take it anymore. " That's it! Uchiha Sasuke, you're dead! And I don't care if you're still not used to having one arm!"

The Haruno girl was now charging at her teammate, throwing random, imprecise punches as she was clearly out of control. Without too much effort and thanks to his ocular abilities, Sasuke managed to dodge them, getting from her the exact reaction he was expecting.

Sakura was letting it all out. She was already doing that a few moments before, but now, apart from not getting hurt, he could clearly see that she was about to explode due to the unsuccessful blows. She was gritting her teeth, there was fire in her eyes and if anything, he could see that she wouldn't last long if she kept going like that.

She was going to lose it, he knew.

And indeed, she did.

But not in the way he was expecting her to.

Her last punch was so slow and weak that the Uchiha managed to catch it with his only hand. She was panting harder than before, sweat dripping from her forehead. Even if she was clearly forcing her legs to move, her muscles gave in and Sakura couldn't take a single step anymore. He could feel the strength on her hand fading, and as she lowered her head, he thought that she had finally reached her limit.

She was finally going to listen to his words, he thought.

Her hands fell to her sides, and at that moment, he allowed his guard to drop as his dark eyes were tenderly looking at her. " Hn, Are you finally gonna let me—"

"SHANNAROU!" His eyes widened at her words, and before he could even prepare himself, her arms were wrapping around his waist and the pinkette was tackling him to the cold, hard ground. She was laying on top of him, their hot bodies pressed hard against each other as the scent of iron and earth entered his nostrils. The Uchiha was waiting for her to punch him in a place that would probably hurt for weeks, and no matter how much he was trying to hold back for the imminent impact, nothing he did would have ever prepared him for what actually followed.

" Wait! Sakura, don't—"

It was warm. Warmer than any punch could ever be and wet as the dew that was staring to envelop the leaves around them. Sakura was crying and her silent tears were soaking his shirt and making their way until it reached his skin. She wasn't heavy or anything, but at that moment, it was as if he could feel the weight she was carrying on her shoulders crashing his ribcage. Her sobs were slowly getting deeper, and it didn't take long before her fingers curled up, clutching his shirt.

At last, she had reached her limit.

At last, she was ready to let it all out.

"… Sakura." His voice was soft, and he could feel her body shivering when he his soothing hand finally went to rest on her back. He could feel her heart racing against his chest, and soon, a deep sigh emptied her lungs.

" It was my fault…" Her voice was muffled due to her position, and he could still feel her tears falling against his shirt. " I-I should've seen the signs, I— I should've stopped her before she took her own life."

His eyes widened for a moment before he allowed reality to sink in.

So the young kunoichi who had committed suicide was her patient, after all.

The girl, as Tsunade had told him, had returned from a mission completely disturbed and out of herself. She was alone, for her parents had died during the war, and it all ended up being too much for her.

The information was delivered to them that afternoon, and apparently, its repercussion was taking its toll on the pink haired doctor. Sakura was blaming herself for not reading the signs and for basically not doing anything. And even if deep inside they all knew there was nothing she could've done, it would still be useless to try to change her mind.

Sakura didn't think there was nothing she could have done. In fact, she refused to believe that young girl couldn't have been saved, and that belief was the main reason why she was in so much pain at that moment.

She always wants to save everyone. And whenever life proves her wrong, it's impossible for her not to be destroyed.

And it's at times like this that she needs help. Even if she's too stubborn to admit that.

" There was nothing you could've done to save her, Sakura."

" Yes, there was. I could've—"

" No, you couldn't. Stop blaming yourself. This is too much… Even for you."

" What am I supposed to do, then? Even if you say it, I can't just stop feeling what I'm feeling. I… I don't know what to do, Sasuke…"

" Then don't do anything…"

"What?"

" Don't force yourself to do something that won't take the pain away. You're allowed to grieve, Sakura… And it's okay to accept help from the people who care about you. Just… Let me be here for you."

At the sound of his voice, he could feel her entire body relaxing above him. He felt her swallowing, and slowly, the sobs were making their way to the surface as she took her time understanding the meaning behind his words. Sakura kept quiet for what felt like eternity, and at first, it even worried him to think he hadn't been able to help her when her heart was so tight.

Sasuke knew that whatever he said wouldn't truly make her feel better at that moment, but at least, he expected his words and his actions to stick to her whenever she chose to punish herself for something that was out of her reach. He wasn't trying to cheer her up— that would probably be the most stupid thing anyone could do at that moment. He knew better that she wouldn't simply accept his words and all that pain would leave her heart as if magic. Sakura was still going to cry because of that. She was still going to carry that pain and she was going to spend many nights lying awake and thinking of how things could've gone differently if she had done something different.

She was still going to suffer, but at least, he wanted her to start accepting the fact that she could allow herself to move on.

And when she showed no sign of change, the Uchiha was starting to feel like a weak, useless man, who couldn't even help a teammate.

He was starting to feel like a stranger who was trying to do something impossible for a girl he once knew.

Damn it, he should've listened to Naruto, he thought.

But then, he wouldn't have been able to see her eyes finally showing forgiveness.

He was starting to blame himself for not being a good partner, but then, her warm breath against his shirt made his heart skip a beat. Sakura shifted her position so her chin was now resting on his chest. Their eyes were connected, and at that moment, when her soaked , emeralds were exposed to the moonlight above them, the Uchiha knew that, eventually, she would be fine.

Eventually, she would learn to forgive herself.

" O-Okay…" Her breathing was slower, her heartbeat was returning to normal and her grip on his shirt loosened a bit before she returned to her previous, hiding her eyes from his gaze. Apparently, his message had entered her heart, and the Haruno girl was finally accepting his presence during such hard times. She was allowing herself to heal, and even if it still hurt— even if it will never stop hurting, at least she was now forgiving herself for life's cruel reality.

She was allowing herself to rest. That or she had fallen asleep after depleting her chakra reserves.

Either way, he was not going to leave her side. Not after all the things she has ever done in order to help him through the condemned path he had once chosen to walk through. Uchiha Sasuke wasn't going to let her cry alone. Not on that night and never again.


	6. Days 6- 31- Thank You Their Little Girl

**SasuSaku Month 2017**

 **Days 6 & 30- Thank You/ Their Little Girl**

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 **Title** : Thankful for the Past

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 **Summary** : Right now, he knows there's no way he could be more thankful to the girl in front of him. His eyes are filled with pride, and as he looks at Sakura, Sasuke knows he needs to say the words that always end up stuck in his throat.

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 **A/N** : I'm so so sorry for taking so long, guys! I've been having some busy weeks lately, and I could barely find any time to write it . I'll find an answer for that soon, though, I promise! No matter what, I hope you enjoy this small fluff, and please, tell me what you think about it!

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The first time he thanked her, Sasuke said it right before walking away from her crying emeralds. He wasn't sure if she had understood the meaning behind his words— not even he was fully aware of that himself—, but back then, the only thing that mattered to him was taking those words out of his chest in a hopeful attempt that it would sooth his demons and allow him to continue on his path towards revenge.

It was a selfish act, he knew. He was leaving her responsible not only for her feelings, but also for his own, and he didn't know, or even cared if she would be able to handle all those clashing emotions in her heart. He was counting on her— on that little and fragile girl who called herself as a ninja.

Perhaps it was too much for her, he now knows, but she made it anyway. She built up courage and confidence, and with nothing other than her own strength, Haruno Sakura was able to handle everything that was thrown at her. She endured all the hardships, and it was only during his lonely, traveling days that he finally understood what his younger self had thanked her for on that night. He thanked her for her innocence. He thanked her for always being there, and most of all, he thanked her for the love she was willing to offer him.

A love so pure and powerful that only grew stronger with time.

A love that, just like her, blossomed into something wonderful.

And right now, many springs after that lonely, autumn night, Sasuke knows he needs to thank her once again. Today, more than any other day in his life, he needs to tell her how grateful he is for having her in his life, because he knows that without her— without her love, her strength and her annoyance— his dream of rebuilding his family would've never become reality.

Without her, he would've been alone forever. And he was tired of being alone.

" Sakura…"

Her tired eyes looked at him, widened at such sudden call. Her pink tresses are falling on her shoulders, and her bangs glued to her forehead thanks to the now dry sweat. It is possible to see more mature lines on her face, but even so, her childish side can still be seen.

Even if she's now a mother and their precious, little, baby girl is calmly asleep in her arms, she is still his Sakura. His innocent, pure and beautiful Sakura.

" What is it, Sasuke-kun?" There's a tender smile gracing her lips, as she drifts her eyes from her husband to their baby and back to him. With one hand, she's supporting the baby's small body, and with the other, she's softly caressing the little one's cheeks. At each new expression offered by the sleepy kid, the mother's eyes glow in pure excitement as she suppresses a giggle, and the male Uchiha can't help but feel his cheeks warming up at the scene in front of him. "Do you wanna hold her?"

At first he's caught off guard by her words. His initial intentions were far from asking his wife to let him hold their baby, but he soon realizes he can also take that opportunity to take a closer look at the baby he helped her make. She was born not even 3 hours ago, and after a delicate and long procedure, this is actually his first chance to hold his daughter.

"Hn" Sasuke nods softly, taking a step closer and approaching the improvised bed they had found at Orochimaru's hideout. With all the care in the world, he reaches out for his little girl, and even if he was worried about accidentally letting her fall, all his father-ish instincts took over him as soon as his thumb first brushed against her small body. The male Uchiha embraces his daughter, watching as she lazily reveals her dark pearls for less than a second before closing them once more.

She's perfect, he knows. She's the perfect mixture of both of them, and more than ever, he knows he will do everything in the world to keep her safe from all the hatred of the world.

" …She's finally here, right? It's still quite hard to believe, to be honest."

" It is…"

" She has your eyes."

" Aah… And she has your chin."

A soft smile takes over his lips as he watches his child, and rare were the times when Sakura saw him like that during their time together. Her husband is at peace as they're taking their first step into parenting, and at the thought, the pinkette can't stop the smile that takes over her lips. She's also proud of herself for being a part of that. She's proud and incredibly happy for being the mother of such a beautiful girl that was born out of the love she has kept alive in her heart for so long.

It was all worth it, she knows. More than ever, right now she knows waiting for that boy was the best decision she has ever made in her life, and she's thankful to her 12-year-old-self for that.

They both are.

And even if he was completely taken by the cuteness of their baby, there is no way Sasuke forgot what he decided not long ago.

" And she also has your hair, darling. Do you think hers will also look like a duck but—"

" Thank you, Sakura."

His words cut her train of thought, and for the first time since he started holding their baby, his charcoal eyes drifted to meet her emerald ones. By the look on her face, it's easy to tell she has no idea of what he means with those words. And maybe it's the pain killers she took or even the overwhelming feeling of finally being a mother, but some seconds go by and she still has no idea of why he thanked her for. "Eh? What are you talking about, Sasuke-kun? Why are you thanking me?"

For loving him, for giving him a family, for being brave, for not giving up… So many things are crossing his mind right now, and he knows he won't be able to list them all at this very moment.

 _'Damn it, Sakura'_ , he smirks at the thought. She was supposed to have read under the lines. His wife really is an annoying girl even after just becoming a mother.

" For… Hn, for everything."

Her brows are knitted at first, and slowly, as her eyes widen, it is possible to say she finally understands what he's been trying to say. His eyes watch as her cheeks grow redder, and as her surprised expression softly melts into a tender one, her eyes rest on the hands over her lap. She's biting her lower lip in order to hold back a huge smile, and it doesn't take long for her to trap the pink lock that fell over her face back to the prison created by her ear. Sasuke can feel his heart skipping a beat at such a beautiful scene, and he can feel air escaping his lungs when her eyes finally meet his.

How beautiful she is, he thinks. If only Sarada could see her mother at that moment…

Sarada, their little girl. Their perfect, little human being that was just brought to this world. She will be the most loved girl in the entire world. She will never be alone, and no evil shall bother her dreams. They will protect her. They will keep her safe, and they will love her until the last day of their lives.

One day, when she's older, she will be able to see how loved she is by her parents. One day, she will wake up to a beautiful family by her side, and it will all be thanks to the love that started between Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke.

Oh, And how thankful they are for that love.

" You say it as if I did it all by myself, Sasuke-kun… We did it. Together."

" Hn… Maybe you're right."

" I know I am… Papa."


	7. Day 7- Love You Goodbye

**SasuSaku Month 2017**

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 **Day 07- Love You Goodbye**

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 **Title:** Goodbye, My Friend

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 **Summary** : AU- After a 36 hours shift, Haruno Sakura barely knows her name. She's exhausted, and when a certain someone calls her, the pinkette doesn't really think before saying those words.

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 **A/N:** Hey, guys! I'm so so sorry for taking so long! College has been killing me lately and I really had no time to breath this week... I'll try my best to fix that, so don't give up on me just yet XD Well, this is supposed to be a short, cute one. It's an AU, so get ready to imagine Uchiha Sasuke driving a car! Hope you like it, and please, leave me a Review with your opinion! It'd mean a lot, guys!

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Doctor Haruno was exhausted. It was almost the end of her 36 hours shift, and by that time, she barely remembered the last time she had to use the bathroom. There were dark circles around her eyes, her head was lighter than normal, and her short, pink hair was tied in what was once called a bun. Lifeless locks were falling over her face, her skin seemed to be paler than it usually is, and she could swear someone was yelling her name around the hospital halls in order to tell her there was another accident caused by people with more alcohol than blood running through their veins.

Working on holidays is always a mess.

While everyone was out of town enjoying and celebrating a couple of days of freedom, Sakura was left behind in order to take care of those who believed their livers became stronger just because no one had to work. Countless were the numbers of people who showed up in a deplorable state caused by just-a-few-drinks, and since she would be out in less than 1 hour, her patience was reaching its limit with so much irresponsibility around her.

The youth these days, she thought, with her hands inside her lab coat as her fingers graced her cellphone. Her eyes were carefully looking at the patients displayed in their respective beds, and whenever she saw a smile on those faces, gratification would take over her senses, as if to praise her for her good work. Sakura was mad at all of those people, yet, she was just glad to know they would be okay.

Perks of being a doctor, for sure.

Maybe— just maybe— she would miss them as soon as her shift ended in exactly 17 minutes.

As her feet unconsciously dragged her towards the improvised kitchen for her nth cup of coffee of the night, Sakura allowed herself to yawn, slowly throwing her arms up to stretch herself. Nurse Yamanaka— aka her best friend— was sitting on a table near the cupboard, and Sakura didn't think twice before heading out to say goodbye to her friend for the night.

" Hey, Pig." She started, taking the chair across from the blonde. " Are you taking tonight's shift?"

" Nope. I'll be heading home soon— God, you look like shit, Forehead."

" You're always so nice, Ino." Sakura pointed out, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

An evil chuckle escaped the nurse's voice, and a smirk decorated her features. Unlike the pinkette, Ino didn't look exhausted at all, probably due to the fact that she had been there for less than 4 hours. " Unlike you, my work doesn't come in first. I have other things in life."

" Hn, my work isn't the most important thing in my life either."

" Oh, really?" The blonde lifted one eyebrow as if to doubt her best friend, and before leaning against the back of the chair, Ino crossed her arms over her chest. " Then what is it?"

" My patients' lives, of course."

" You're impossible, Forehead! That's probably why Sasuke-kun won't ask you out!"

" Oh, stop it… You know we're just friends."

"For now…" Ino said in a low tone as she took a sip from her cappuccino. She watched as her pink haired friend glared at her, and she couldn't help but feel amused at that moment.

For years, the blonde had been waiting for her friends to confess their feelings to one another and get together. Back when they were still in high school, the Uchiha had to travel abroad, and now that he was finally back for good, Sakura had become a workaholic who spends more time in the hospital than with her friends.

Life is hard for those who keep making plans with their friends' lives.

Still, Yamanaka Ino is no quitter. And as long as she's aware of her friends' feelings, she won't back off.

" You know he's in town for the holiday, right, Sakura?"

" Yeah, so what?"

" Maybe you should ask him out… Take this opportunity to go out with the love of your life without Naruto getting in between you guys!"

" Shannarou… I wonder if you even listen to yourself, Ino." Sakura started, massaging her temple. She was certainly not in the mood to argue over that same topic with the blonde again. " Sasuke-kun and I are fine the way we are."

" And how exactly are you? Friends also make plans, and I don't see you guys making anything. You guys don't even see each other."

" Of course we do. He's even offered to take me home tonight."

" Oh my god, Forehead! Please, tell me you've accepted his offer!"

" Why wouldn't I? He should be here anytime now." A yawn escaped her throat once more, and suddenly, she could feel a light, continuous vibration in her pocket. Her eyes widened for a couple of seconds until she grabbed her phone and saw the caller's identification. A smile made its way to her face, and by the way she seemed to have lit up, Ino didn't even had to ask who was the mysterious person calling her best friend. " Talking about him…"

Sakura is still that same, 12-years-old dork she used to be, Ino thought.

Just she was a lot cuter right now.

" Hey there, Sasuke-kun!" The pinkette continued, biting her lower lip in a cute excitement. Her cheeks were growing a little redder now, and Ino could see as her fingers were playing with the fabric of her white coat. " Oh, so you're on your way already?… Great! I'll go get my stuff, then!"

Such an innocent, naive girl, the Yamanaka thought.

" Okay!" She managed to say, as another, deep yawn relaxed her entire body. " Love you, bye bye!"

Oh, Sakura… Such a—

What?

Pearly, blue eyes widened, lips parted and suddenly, it was as if the entire world around Ino shattered around her. Were her ears playing tricks on her or did she really just hear Haruno Sakura saying 'I love you' to Uchiha Sasuke through a phone call?

After all the things she had just said and even after living her entire life prioritizing a certain privacy in her relationships; the pinkette couldn't have simply said those words so casually, right?

Probably.

But after more than 36 hours working like hell, it would only be normal if her brilliant mind blacked out for some moments.

By the time the Yamanaka's head stopped spinning, Sakura had already placed her phone back in her pocket. She was holding a tired smile on her face, and her left hand was lazily scratching the back of her head. Apparently, the pinkette was so calm and relaxed due to sleepiness that her emerald eyes didn't even notice her best friend's jaw literally dropped.

Both of Ino's hands were pressed flat against the table, and slowly, a dorky smile made its way to her lips. She couldn't hold back her excitement at that moment, for— after what felt like a life time— her friends had finally gained enough courage to accept their mutual feelings and do something about them.

" You shady bitch!" Ino said, a little too loud, making Sakura's eyes widen in a mix of shock and embarrassment.

" Ino, what the—"

" How could you not tell me you and the Uchiha were together?! How could you lie and say you were just friends when you're clearly screwing each other?!"

" What are you talking about, Pig? Shannarou, I've just told you there's nothing between Sasuke-kun and I!"

" Yeah, you did. And less than a minute ago you said you love him before hanging out the phone!"

" What?" Her pink brows arched, not truly understanding the blonde's words. " Did you hit your head or something? I did not say that to him."

" Yeah, girl. You did."

" No, I didn't. I would've known if I told him so, Pig. You've definitely heard it wrong."

" No, I did not!" She screamed, slamming her hands on the table, and drawing more attention to them. " At first, I thought so, too. I mean, you of all people saying those words like that, but— Forehead, I swear on the name of our friendship and on my disastrous, first kiss with Shikamaru… You've said the L word."

After hearing those words, Sakura suddenly lost all confidence in herself. Her eyes widened, her lips parted, and suddenly, her heart started to beat faster. She was sweating cold, and she was swallowing dry as if all her memories from minutes before had been erased. There was no way Ino could be lying at that moment. She had just sworn in the name of her most embarrassing secret, and her best friend would never joke about that. Could it really be that the blonde was right? "W-What… N-No way, I… I didn't… Did I?"

Ino shook her head up and down, holding an excited smile on her lips. Her hands had formed a bridge, where she was currently resting her chin on, and her eyes were shining like never before. " Yep."

" Oh, shit…" The pinkette felt the entire world collapsing around her, as she leaned back against the chair. Her hands ran across her pink locks, and all the words suddenly disappeared from her head. Crimson red colored her cheeks, and if not for the fact that they were at the hospital, the Haruno girl would be screaming her lungs out. " What am I gonna do now, Ino?"

"Eh? What do you mean, Forehead?" The blonde asked, confusion taking over her face. " Why do you make it sound like it's a problem?"

" Because it is! I wasn't lying when I told you there's nothing between Sasuke-kun and I! I was probably too tired and let that slip!"

"Oh… OH! Now I get it!…. Yep, you're in a complicated situation."

Her emerald eyes glared at her friend, whose smiling face created a perfect contrast with her desperate one. " You're not helping, Pig."

" Hehe." She giggled. " This is gonna be so much fun."

The deadly glare on her face got even worse, and at that moment, Sakura just couldn't believe she had actually said those words. Not to Uchiha Sasuke, the man she has loved since forever. She couldn't believe she had said it so simply, and turned off the phone without even hearing his answer. Damn it, he probably thought she was going crazy. He probably thought she was messing around with him, and that she didn't really mean those words, when, in fact, she meant every single letter of it. Sasuke was going to hate her forever for playing with his feelings, for sure.

He was going to shut her out again, and this time, nothing she did would ever make up for that.

Fuck, things couldn't get any worse.

Or that was what she thought before her phone vibrated due to his message saying 'I'm here'.

" What am I gonna, Ino? I can't face him right now."

" You can and you will, Sakura! He came all the way for you, and now you're finally gonna have a chance to talk things through!"

" How the hell am I gonna do it?"

" Honestly, I have no idea… But you better use this chance to finally get him to admit his feelings for you, as well! Can't you see it, Forehead? You and Sasuke-kun are finally gonna get together!"

" Or we will never speak to each other again."

" Tch, stop with the negativism, will you? And get moving, Forehead. He's waiting for you."

And with those words, the nurse shoved the doctor away, and Sakura made her way towards the exit. The pinkette took her personal belongings, and when she passed in front of the reception, she actually considered accepting an extension to her shift. Her chest felt tighter with every step she took towards him, and when her eyes finally spotted his car outside, her heart almost stopped.

The cool breeze of the night brushed against her warm cheeks, and watching those dark pearls on her made it hard for her to breath. God, his looks normally mess with her, but at that moment, it felt as if she was being punched straight into the guts. He was gorgeous with those shiny, black locks of his, and when he opened the passenger's door for her, she could see the light in his eyes, inviting her in to that inevitable torture her recklessness had brought upon her.

Never again would she ever accept another holiday shift. And least not when the Uchiha was in town.

Gathering all the courage she could find, the pinkette finally made her way towards his car. She smiled as soon as she reached the door, waving her hand as if to seem friendlier. "Hey, Sasuke-kun!" She started, getting in the car. She put on the safety belt, turning to face him with that same, nervous smile curling up her lips. " Thank you so much for picking me up!"

" Aa. It was nothing. It's not safe for you to walk alone at this time."

" I guess…"

Her eyes immediately went to look through the window, watching the scenario outside moving in front of her. His image was reflected on the glass, and even if her cheeks were on fire, Sasuke didn't seem to be affected by her early words at all.

He was driving like he normally does, not crossing any red signs or disobeying any laws. The Uchiha was acting normal, and the silence set in between them wasn't any different than the ones that they usually share in pure comfort. Everything was normal, she observed, and she was truly happy with that. Even if Ino had told her to talk to him, Sakura wouldn't mind to spend the entire way to her house without saying a single word about anything serious.

She was okay with the 'how was your day' questions, and their small talks helped them reach her house without mentioning the words she had let slip before. Sasuke parked in front of her sidewalk, and her eyes captured his muscles contracting when he pulled the breaks. The engine stopped, and at that moment, she knew that they would either talk about something important or they would simply say good night.

No matter what happened, the pinkette couldn't help but be nervous.

Sakura watched as he sat there in pure silence, looking at a random spot in front of him. Unlike the rest of their way, the Uchiha was now clearly uncomfortable about something. He took a hand to his face, and only after taking a deep breath, his dark pearls finally turned to fully face her, looking straight into her emerald eyes.

More than ever, at that moment, it was clear that he wanted to talk about something important. Sasuke has never been a man of many words, and through the years, she ended up learning just enough of his visual language to know there was something big bothering him.

And of course it was her confession, she thought. What else could it be? His voice sounded just fine earlier that night, and after saying those words, everything changed. Sasuke was probably mad at her, and at that moment, Sakura realized that ignoring that talk wouldn't help at all if she wanted to at least save their friendship.

If she wanted to keep her best friend close to her, Sakura would have to talk about her accidental confession. She would have to explain every detail of her story, and just by doing so would she be able to continue to call him her best friend. Unless she did something, they would never have that kind of relationship anymore. " Sasuke-kun… About what I said earlier, I—"

And Uchiha Sasuke would be more than just fine with that.

Her voice was cut as soon as she turned her body to face him, only to find his soft lips already waiting for hers. Her eyes widened, at first, and she even thought about pulling away as an attempt to save what was left of their friendship. Her hands were just about to push him, when suddenly, she felt a warm, comfortable sensation enveloping them.

Sasuke was holding her in place, asking her not to run away from that moment. She felt more pressure against her lips, and at that moment, Haruno Sakura was aware that their hearts were beating at the same pace. For the first time after so long, they were both being honest with their feelings, as they were simply following their hearts.

At that moment, more than ever, their feelings were connected.

And that kiss was the best way to connect their hearts.

Once the pinkette finally gave in, her eyes closed and she leaned in closer to his body. His hand went to cup her cheek, and it didn't take long before they deepened that kiss. Their lips were moving together, their tongues were slowly brushing against each other, and at that moment, she couldn't help but allow a soft smile to take over her face. His thumb was brushing against her skin, and unfortunately, the time came for them to part in need of air. If only their lungs could hold on a little longer…

" I should've done this a long time ago." He started, their foreheads resting against each other as they both did their best to recover their breath. " Sorry."

" I-It's fine…" She chuckled, her cheeks still red and a smile still decorating her face. " I guess we did take too long, right?"

" Aa… But it was worth it in the end, don't you think?"

"Oh, definitely… Remind me to thank the hospital for almost killing me with work, then."

" Hn." He smirked, breathing in her inebriating scent. For the first time, he was actually glad for the pinkette to be a workaholic and work until her brain shut down. He was glad, and for the time being, he was going to take advantage of the courage her exhausted brain had managed to built up.

He was going to use her feelings to confess his own. Uchiha Sasuke was ready to say goodbye to his best friend, and at last, say hello to the girl he has loved for so long.


	8. Day 08- Heartbreak Hotel

**SasuSaku Month 2017**

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 **Day 08 - Heartbreak Hotel**

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 **Title:** Check Out

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 **Summary** : Modern AU/ Inspired by Elvis' Heartbreak Hotel. Their lives followed different directions, and yet, they try their best to hold on to whatever is left of their love.

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 **A/N** : Okay, first of all, I AM SO SO SORRY! This story was supposed to have been posted 2 weeks ago, but honestly, guys… These past few weeks have been the most rushed of my life, and I'm just glad they're over. I won't take that long to post the next one, I promise. Now, enough with my babbling! I hope you all enjoy this one, and please, leave me your… Honest thoughts regarding this one. Have fun!

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It was a good night for heartbreak.

As expected from mid November, a cold drizzle hit the windows' glasses around the town, spreading a melancholic feeling everywhere. Curtains were closed, families were already resting in the safety of their homes, and normal people were getting ready for a new, ordinary day that would follow.

Normal, intelligent people that knew loneliness could not be cured with a dose of whiskey.

The hotel's bar was rather quiet that Wednesday evening. A calm, background music enveloped the entire room, creating the perfect mood for those who just wanted to enjoy their drinks and forget about their days. The bartender— a man whose white locks were already covering half of his head— was listening to the guests' stories, nodding while filling their cups with whatever flavor of alcohol they had asked him to. Those people had tales to tell, and even if he couldn't care less about them, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't help but listen to the tragic stories of hearts that were once loved.

Those were lost people, he learned while sitting on the bar's stool. Lost and broken people who used to be complete until they lost their significant ones. All the stories were all so sad and dramatic, and some even ended with people claiming their lives had lost their meaning now that they were alone. That was certainly an extreme feeling he could not relate to, yet, if there was one thing he shared with all those people, was the loneliness brought by a wounded heart.

Yes, he knew how that felt very well. He knew how it felt to look around and find no one standing by his side, and he knew how terrible it was to wait up for those who would never come back home. It was a desperate, empty feeling that had been eating him alive for years now, and even if he was supposed to be used to that already, being alone and deprived of love will never stop causing him pain. Those things will sting him until the day he dies, and for as funny as that could be, Sasuke only had himself to blame for his actual condition.

As he took a sip from his Jack Daniel's, his dark orbs fell on the mahogany bar stained by water marks left by the glasses. At that moment, if he were to be honest, the alcohol had already anesthetized his senses, but not enough to make him forget the very reason why— after so many years— he was drinking at that mediocre place located down at the end of what should be called Lonely Street. Even if he had told himself many times that he would never set foot on that place again, and that he would get a grip on his life, in the end, all his efforts had been useless when he answered his phone earlier that day.

She had called him, after all.

She had called him that very morning and all it took him was the sound of her soft, apprehensive voice saying his name and asking him if they could meet. He was surprised, at first, and even worried for her voice basically screamed for help while she whispered calmly through the phone. Sasuke should've known by then that whenever that girl was involved, the best thing to be done is to stay as far away as possible from her in order to prevent yet another month of sleepless nights and unexplained solitude.

He should've known better.

But better than that, he knew he couldn't just not allow her ruin the temporary peace he had found in his life. That was how she acted. That was how she made him feel alive, and both his heart and soul were always up for a night of forbidden and intense passion that would end as soon as he felt her warm lips against his cheeks before leaving.

Those lips have always been his weakness, and as long as he had them pressed against his, Sasuke was ready to face the lonely consequences that would, eventually, follow.

Just like many other nights, he was ready to drown his misery life in shots of whiskey and meaningless sex with the only girl who has ever held his heart. His manly, possessive pride would be happy to have her in his arms for a night even if he knew she would end up returning to that bastard as soon as the sun welcomed a new day.

It would be a useless night that would never have a happy ending, he knew.

Yet, even with no promises of a bright future ahead of them, he would rather answer her call than losing that last, thin connection they shared. He would do anything not to serve that line.

Hn, What a time to be alive, he thought, lifting his glass in front of himself before taking a long, sip. A slightly inebriated smirk played on his lips, and after what felt like hours of waiting, a bell rang across the room and a cold breeze invaded the saloon, indicating that a new loner had entered the bar. His curiosity got the best of him, and from the corner of his eyes, the Uchiha watched as that small figure dressed in black looked around the room with her big, emerald eyes.

So she had arrived, at last.

Their eyes met briefly before she started to make her way towards him, and as her heels clicked against the harsh, wooden floor; Sasuke observed how her pink hair was still kept untouched above her shoulders. She was wearing a dark-green coat over what was probably a black dress, and the pearls decorating her neck matched her perfectly elegant outfit.

Haruno Sakura was as beautiful as the last time he saw her.

But unlike then, she didn't seem happy to see him.

Sakura didn't seem happy at all.

It didn't take long for her to get to his side, her gloved hands resting on top of the bar. His eyes turned left to watch her closely, and it didn't take him much effort to see behind that fake smile of hers as she ordered herself a drink. Her hands were moving nervously, her teeth were trapping her lower lip in between them, and it was only after she took a deep breath that her emeralds finally turned to face him. " Long time no see, Sasuke-kun…"

Her voice was soft even if it held a bit of concern, and he couldn't help but notice the way her eyes shone as soon as they met his. Sasuke made sure to keep his face as stoic as ever, even if his slightly drunken state was making it hard for him to prevent his lips from turning upwards. He was certainly happy to see her— of course he was— but there was just no way he would let her have it against him.

" Aah… It's been a while since you last called me."

" How have you been?" She forced another smile, accepting the drink given to her by the barman. " Naruto only tells me you're alive."

" I guess I am alive." He started, taking another sip of his drink and feeling poison linger over his tongue. " What about your boyfriend? Is he still alive?"

He watched as her eyes went down, a bitter smile taking over her lips. Sasuke knew she didn't deserve those harsh words coming from him, but at that moment, he was too drunk to hold them back. His week hadn't been the best, and he wasn't sure if seeing her would make it better or not.

Probably not.

" Yeah… He's alive."

" Hn… And does he know you're here?"

" … No. I didn't tell him."

" As expected from you."

If he were to be honest, Sasuke was trying his best to make her walk away from him at that moment. He wanted her to regret calling him and lying to her boyfriend, even if that could probably cost him his night.

Sasuke wanted her to move away from that childish love she has always nourished for him, for he knew it would take her nowhere. Better than anyone, he knows how messed up he is, and the last thing he wanted was to drag her down with him. He wanted her to have a good life, and he wanted her to be with someone who can be good to her, even if she would never truly love this person.

The Uchiha knew he was not what she deserved. Even if no one would ever love her as much as he does, he wanted her to learn that love isn't the most important thing in the world. There's also commitment, trust, stability, and she would never find any of that in him.

At least not yet. At least not while there was so much going on in his life.

Such thoughts had never bothered him while they were younger, but now— now that his parents are dead and now that the ghost of his brother haunts him every single night of his life, Sasuke didn't have it in himself to worry about his heart's needs. He had been clear to her about that years before, and even if she protested and told him she would do her best to help him, the Uchiha managed to shut her out for a while.

They didn't see each other for three years after that, and when they met again, their forbidden story began, as both of them agreed to follow their lives until the time came for them to be together. Sakura would make a fool of an innocent man, and even if she knew how wrong that was, she couldn't stop. Not when that was her only chance of being with her true love.

That was her own way of waiting for him, and that was his way of always having her for himself. Even if there was another man in her life, he knew he meant nothing to her— he never would. It was just a matter of time until his life got back into the tracks again.

And until he could finally put his shit together, he had to make sure the pinkette would keep that idiot as her boyfriend. Sasori might never be the right guy for her, but at least, thanks to his family's successful business, he's able to provide for her and for the children clinic she founded after graduating med school.

He would take care of her until Sasuke could finally be the man she deserves.

Just a little longer, he would tell her, as they would lie naked in bed, wrapped around each other's arms.

But— Oh it had already been too long.

" I need to talk to you about something, Sasuke-kun… It's important."

" Hn, what is it? What could be so important for you to sneak out and lie to your perfect boyfri—"

" Sasori asked me to marry him."

His dark eyes widened, his throat went dry, and suddenly, the taste of his whiskey became as bitter as it could be. The shock caused by her comment was clear in his body language, and it was as if the Uchiha was suddenly frozen in spot.

Marriage? That was not a part of his plan for their lives. They were supposed to have a stable relationship, of course, but that bastard was never supposed to propose to Sakura. No, she was not supposed to become his wife, and she was never supposed to change her last name to Sasori's.

Sakura was never supposed to belong to someone else.

She could not accept that request.

" What? When…?"

" This morning… He showed app with the ring and—"

" That bastard! He's not allowed to propose to you and he's not— And what did you tell him, Sakura?"

" I told him I would think, of course. I told him that—"

" Think!? You should've told him no!" He started, fists clenching and eyes glaring at his glass of whiskey. " Who the hell does he think he is?! Even if you were really together, it's too soon for any commit—"

" It's been 10 years, Sasuke-kun!"

Her voice startled him, again, as realization hit him.

10 years. Ten years of their stupid, little game, and nothing had changed ever since.

Anger started taking over his senses, and Sakura could feel her chest tightening at the scene in front of her. Her eyes were widened in a mix of fear and hope, and instinctively, she reached for his face. The pinkette cupped his cheeks, turning him to face her, and caressing his cheeks with her thumbs. Sadness was taking over her senses, and still, she found it in herself to smile at him. " Sasuke-kun… Let's get out of here. Just the two of us… "

" …What?"

"Let's leave everything and every one behind… Together. It's been already too long and… This is our chance to be happy! Please, Sasuke-kun… Let's get out of here."

Tears were almost streaming down her eyes, and he could see how desperate she was. Of course she didn't want to marry Sasori. That was never a part of her plan either, and more than he could ever be, Sakura was frustrated and even tired to be played around by his choices.

She was tired of waiting for something she wasn't sure would ever belong to her.

He never doubted her love for him, and he was sure she knew how much he loves her. Yet, even answered feelings can wither if they aren't fed with enough hope.

And perhaps, after 10 long years, there was really no hope left for their story.

Even if Sakura wanted to believe there was still a chance, and even if she wanted to keep fighting for his doomed soul, Sasuke knew better than to let her waste another second of her life with him. He couldn't let her destroy her life because of love, and even if he wanted her— and even needed her— by his side, he loved her too much to let her give up on a chance to change her life forever.

He loves her too much, and that love would be their ruin.

" Sasuke-kun, we could—"

" Enough…"

" What?"

" That's enough, Sakura… You and me. It's enough."

" S-Sasuke-kun… What are you talking about?"

" Hn, isn't it clear? You're going to get married, Sakura. We can't keep seeing each other anymore. It wouldn't be fair for your husband."

" My husband? I'm not marrying Sasori! You know that I don't love him! He's just— He's just a—"

" A way to kill time? I thought I was the one you ran to whenever you wanted to escape life."

" This isn't true and you know it! I wish I could have you in my life all the time!"

" Aa… But you have him instead, right? You have that bastard and… How am I supposed to know you don't tell him the same things you tell me?"

" W-What are you talking about? You're not making any sense! You know that I love you! I've always loved you and I always will!"

" And what about him?"

" What about him?"

" Don't you love him, too? I mean…" He started, smirking bitterly. " If you truly loved me, you would've stayed single for all these years, right? We wouldn't need to sneak out whenever we wanted to meet, and life would be a lot easier."

" What?! You know Sasori and I started out because he invested in the clinic! You were the one who told me to be with him!"

" But that was only during the first years of the clinic, right? What made you continue, Sakura? Tell me… Was it really just the clinic?"

" Of course it was! You know that—"

" Or was it the way he made in bed while you two fu—"

The Uchiha was never able to finish that line. A dry, sharp sound echoed around the bar, and all the eyes were suddenly set on the pair. Tears were streaming down her face, while a red, hand-snapped mark rested painfully against his cheek. Silence enveloped the entire place, and before he knew it, the pinkette slammed her hand against the bar and left everything behind.

She exited the bar without saying a single word, leaving behind not only a broken boy, but also the only, concrete symbol of their love: his mother's ring.

Sakura slammed it against the bar, leaving behind all the promises and all the love that existed in between them. He had given her that ring years before, telling her that the day would come when he would finally be able to make her his wife. They had exchanged vows and dreams while that ring was perfectly wrapped around her delicate finger, and right now, as she walked away from it— from him, the Uchiha knew it was truly the end of everything.

" Fuck!"

His voice left his throat with all the anger he could build inside of him, and he didn't need to think twice before using the glass in front of him to unleash his feelings. His fingers wrapped around the thin, object and in a blink of an eye, Sasuke threw it on the floor, breaking it and spreading dangerously sharp shards everywhere. His fists were turning white, his jaw was clenched and his dark orbs were still looking at the cold ring in front of him.

On that cold, November night, not only one, but two hearts ended up broken by the harsh words that escaped his lips. After 10 years, both Sasuke and Sakura were forced to take a step towards a new direction that would only separate them even more. She would be heading towards a new, unhappy future; and he would be forever stuck in that miserable past of his.

At last, he drove her away.

At last, he set her free.

And for nights to come, the raven haired man would be returning to that same bar in order to drink his pain away, and to tell the tale of the one heart he was forced to break.


	9. Days 9 25 and 29

_**SasuSaku Month 2017**_

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 _ **Days 09/ 25/ 29 - On Opposite Sides/ Maybe Next Time/ Connected Feelings**_

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 _ **Title:**_ _Definitely Next Time_

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 _ **Summary**_ : _Sasuke is finally asking her to join him, expecting her to drop everything and just follow him out of Konoha. He wants her to go, but things won't be that simple. Not when she is who she is._

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 ** _A/N:_** _Took me a while, but it's finally here! Really, these themes were incredibly hard for me and I'm not 100% satisfied with how it ended. I've tried to create some obstacles for them and I've tried to explore them from a more mature point of view, but… Meh, I tried XD Hope you enjoy it, anyway, and please, tell me your opinion! It's always amazing to know what you think!_

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It had been an abnormally good week for Haruno Sakura.

A foreigner baron had paid her quite a generous amount of money to go on a relatively simple mission, she didn't lose a single life at the hospital, and after months of trying, the Raikage finally agreed to spread her project by opening a brach of the Children's Mental Health Clinic in Kumogakure. All the papers had already been signed, hands had been shaken and in 5 days she would be escorted to the Land of Lightening so she could supervise and capacitate the medical ninjas there.

Her life was, indeed, pretty great both professionally and emotionally, the latest certainly caused by the fact that the Uchiha was back in the village for longer than he normally stays. They had had the chance of catching up, going on simple missions and all the many team 7 dinners that had been rescheduled for so long were now being paid by their beloved sensei. Both Kakashi and Naruto were also really excited lately, and even if she didn't really know the reasons behind their happiness, Sakura figured it was probably just a week of good vibes for everyone.

Perhaps, things were always going to be like that from that moment on. Perhaps, life had finally decided to stop putting them to test all the time and allow them accept simple solutions instead of suspecting them.

Perhaps, it was finally their turn to settle in a comfortable and peaceful routine.

Oh, but she should've known better.

" Come with me."

His words were dry and without a single trace of emotion. They sounded like an order to her ears, and even if the one saying those words was no one other than Uchiha Sasuke— _her_ Sasuke-kun, the boy who stole her heart and who now is in a relationship with her— Sakura couldn't help but feel a certain annoyance creeping under her skin at the feeling of being bossed around. She had just finished boiling them some water for a tea, and after taking a deep breath, the Haruno girl turned to face the boy who was sitting on his couch. His dark pearls were on her, and his characteristic, stoic expression was plastered across his face.

Sasuke was unreadable at that moment, much like he used to be back in his darkest days. His attention was entirely set on her, and for a moment, she allowed herself to swallow dry. She didn't understand him at that moment. She didn't know what he meant by those words, and if she were to be honest, Sakura wasn't sure if she wanted to. Chills were running down her spine as she approached him, and for a moment, she even considered keeping her mouth shut and ignore him.

But she _is_ Haruno Sakura. And if she didn't understand something regarding her boyfriend, she wouldn't simply drop it.

" What did you say, Sasuke-kun?"

" I told you to come with me." He stood from his sitting position, not taking his eyes away from hers. "During my journey. Come with me, Sakura."

Her eyes widened, her breath was caught in her throat, and were she holding anything, her hands would've certainly dropped it on the floor.

Could it really be? After years of crying and waiting; and after asking him herself that question at least twice before, Sakura couldn't really believe he was actually telling her to go with him. They would be finally together and alone in the woods, without the need of a hawk to tell her where he was, for she would be there, too. They were going to cross the lands and meet new places together, and she would finally be able to leave the village to experience what her teammates did years before.

She was finally given the chance of going away with the love of her life, and she wouldn't have to think twice before listening to her heart screaming 'Yes' inside her chest.

Just like that little girl she once was, Sakura wanted to go with him so badly.

But life wouldn't simply allow her to get what she wanted. At least not anymore.

A smile made its way to her lips, and her eyes glistened in pure happiness. She didn't need to voice out her answer, but she just couldn't really keep anything inside at that moment. " Oh my god! Are you serious?! You better not be messing with me, Uchiha, or else I'm gonna kick your ass-shannarou!"

" Aah." He smirked, enjoying the silly expression spread around his girlfriend's face. " I'm serious."

The smile on her face didn't disappear as she crossed his living room towards him. She was holding back the urge to tackle him to the ground, instead, preferring to stand contently in front of him. Happiness was evident in her body language, and the way she blushed— so innocently and pure— reminded him of that silly, annoying girl she once was.

She certainly is Sakura, he thought.

But she wasn't that same, old Sakura he used to know. Not anymore.

" I can't believe this is real… I'm going with you. After so long, I'm actually going with you."

" So you're saying yes, then?"

" I thought that was already clear since that night when you knocked me out and left me on that bench."

" Touché."

" Oh, this is going to be so exciting! I can't wait to tell Naruto and Kakashi-sensei!"

" Hn, I've already told them."

"What?!"

" I told them I'd be taking you with me this time. Those idiots were quite happy about it."

" Oh… So that explains a lot." She chuckled, mentally cursing both her best friend and the Hokage for keeping that a secret from her. Even if she enjoyed the surprise, Sakura could've used some emotional preparation so she could actually give him more than just silly smiles and weird answers. However, that didn't matter anymore. She was just too excited to even complain about anything. " I really can't wait for us to go! I'll have to get new clothes and supplies… Also, I'll need my medical books and I'll have to tell my parents that I'll be going away… It's gonna be harder than I imagined."

" Hn, you'll be just fine. We can arrange all that in two days and then we'll be ready to go."

" Two days?" She chuckled, again, due to how serious he sounded when saying such silly words. " You're so funny, Sasuke-kun."

" Uh? What's so funny about what I said."

" The 2 days thing. You can't really believe I'll have it all settled in two days, right?"

" Hn, make it 3 or 4, then. I just wanna get out of here as soon as possible."

 _3 or 4? He couldn't be serious, right?_ Her brows knitted in confusion as she tried to search for any trace that showed her that he was just messing around with her. When she found none, something told the pinkette that things weren't going to be as simple as she had thought.

Things weren't going to be simple at all.

" 3 or 4? Sasuke-kun, I'll need at least 2 months to prepare everything."

" 2 months!?" His eyes widened with shock, and at that moment, Sakura could clearly tell he wasn't expecting her to take that long to leave her village for undetermined time. Apparently, the Uchiha had forgotten that, unlike him, Sakura had a lot of things to take care of in the village before she could actually go anywhere. She had the hospital, the clinic, her missions, her family.

Damn it, she had a whole life to take care of in Konoha before she could even think about going away for the weekend. And there he was, telling her to get everything ready in 3 or 4 days.

How could he actually be serious about that?

After what felt like years, an awkward silence settled in between them. Their expressions were confused and they were feeling extremely uncomfortable at that moment. He was averting his eyes from hers, trying to think about a way to understand her terms, and Sakura was simply there, looking at him and seeing the wheels turning inside his head. For the first time, Uchiha Sasuke seemed trapped in his own apartment, and at that very moment, for the first time in her life, she realized how different they truly are.

He didn't understand her. How could he, after all?

Uchiha Sasuke has always been a free spirit, in his own way. He has always kept himself tied to his ghosts, and by doing so, he never really needed to abandon a person or a place he was emotionally attached to in order to follow his path. He grew apart from the village she calls home, and the only people he has kept bonds with were never able to keep him tied to a place or even committed to the society itself.

He's a wanderer, looking for a way to bring peace to his troubled heart. It's always been like this, and it wouldn't be fair to expect anything different from him. Neither Sakura nor anyone else had the right to expect him to change for whatever reason it was, and that was why it wouldn't be fair to ask him to wait for her when he wanted— when he _had_ to leave. She has come to terms with that for a long time now, and even if that time things felt different, they really weren't.

The only different factor in the equation of their lives was her.

Yes, because, unlike before, Haruno Sakura had responsibilities now. A lot of people depended on her, and she couldn't just walk away from all of them and from all of the things she has built for herself through the years.

Sakura has an apartment of her own, now. She is needed in many high-ranked missions and she occupies extremely important positions in both the hospital and the clinic. It took her years to achieve all of those things, and unlike when she was younger— when life was simpler and she wouldn't think twice before abandoning everything in order to pursue love— she couldn't simply bring herself to walk away from it all.

Not from all of the things that have always been with her when everyone else wasn't. When they were away, minding their own lives and following their own goals.

No, she couldn't do it. She couldn't simply set herself free from the ties that have turned her into the woman she is.

Not even for him.

And perhaps, because of that, she would never be really able to free herself. Perhaps there would never be a time when they would be able to share that freedom, and that was the one thing that hurt the most.

Perhaps they would never really be able to take the next step in their relationship and actually be together. Not unless any of them gave up on an important part of their lives.

And that was definitely not going to happen, right?

In the end, it was just an invitation, nothing more. It was just a way for them to spend more time together, not that not being essentially together has ever changed their feelings for each other.

Being together would be just a convenience, she thought, as all her expectations painfully died in her throat.

 _Maybe next time_ , she thought, but if she really stopped to think, Sakura had never really been able to stay away for too long before, for she was always doing something that no one but her could. She wasn't disposable anymore, and chances were, people would be sending her letters all the time begging her to return.

No, she couldn't leave. What on earth was she thinking when she even allowed herself to dream bout being away with him?!

Oh— she should've known better that things wouldn't be that easy. She should've known that their choices would get in the way of their happiness, and that her responsibilities would keep her tied to the ground while he flew away from her reach.

She should've known it all. And now, she knew it would be just a matter of time until she had to see him walking away all alone one more time. It hurt. God— it hurt so badly.

But in that mess of feelings inside her heart, there was not a single trace of regret. How could she ever regret any of those things, right? How could she regret working her ass off and becoming the fine jounin she is today?

No. That was impossible.

"Well…" She started, breaking the silence after what felt like an eternity. There was a fake smile gracing her lips, and she had no idea of how much it hurt him to see that after so long. " I guess we'll have to leave it for another time."

" Sakura… I-"

" It's okay, Sasuke-kun." She licked her lips, taking a step away from him and averting her eyes. She looked at the clock on his wall, and suddenly, an urge of running away took over her body. She had to get away from him. She had to leave before he did it or before those stupid tears decided to run down her cheeks. " It's really okay, don't worry. I-I actually have to go now… I need to… I need to run an errand." She said, walking away and towards her small bag of kunais.

His eye followed her as she tried to rush away from him, and immediately, something kicked in his guts and he knew he couldn't simply let her walk away like that. Sure, it was a complicated thing and they had found themselves in a complicated situation, but they could still fix that. Maybe not now, but certainly later, when neither of their life choices stood in their way.

It was all a matter of time. And he knew it wasn't too late yet. It couldn't be.

" Sakura, wait! Why are you running away?"

" Running away? W-What are you talking about? Tsunade-sama asked me to—"

" Knock it off!" He said, firmly, catching her by surprise and making her heart skip a beat. Her eyes widened, and at that moment, she knew there was nothing she could say to fool him. He had trapped her, and unlike she had planned, she would have to face that obstacle that was going to keep them apart. "You're running away like a scaredy cat and for no reason at all!"

" …No reason at all?" She suddenly stopped, clenching her hands into fists and turning to glare at him. The pinkette was internally cursing the way he just didn't seem to get how bad things would eventually become, and even if it was hard for her, she knew she had to try her best to keep calm and find the right words to express herself. " You don't know what you're talking about, Sasuke."

" Hn, if you can't come this time, then nothing can be done. Still, now that you know this is a possibility, you can try to settle things so you can come next time. It's no big deal."

" Things aren't that simple, and you should know that."

" Of course they are. How could they not be?"

" Because nothing will change next time!" She screamed, her face changing from anger to pure sorrow, as she tried to find the words to explain him that things weren't going to be simple at all. They never would. " Next time… Next time there will be something new happening in our lives. Next time, in a couple of months or even a year, something new will be tying me to my choices and something new will be taking you away. That's how things are and we won't be able to escape them so easily."

"… You can't be sure of that."

" Oh, come on, Sasuke-kun… We're both adults now and we know that's how things will be…" She bit her lower lip, and apparently, he had finally understood where she was trying to get. " It's like we're both trying to cross this really narrow bridge at the same time and none of us can reach the other side. Neither of us can move forward and the only solution would be—"

" Going back and parting ways."

Sakura felt her heart sinking with each word that escaped his lips, and even if she had been thinking about them for a while, hearing his voice saying them hurt a lot more than she had imagined. It was the truth in which she believed, and she wanted nothing more than to be proven wrong by him; but when he seemed to reach the same conclusion as her, the pinkette realized there would be no way out of that situation.

She was slowly losing hope, and there was no telling how mad she was at herself.

It should be something simple, right? It should've been a good week and she was supposed to be happy to finally have the chance of going away with him. Why couldn't they be simple?

Because, if it were, it wouldn't be love.

As she stood there, with her lower lip turning white due to how hard she was biting it, the Uchiha saw the one thing that was never doubted during all their moments of crises.

They're in love. He might not tell her often and she might have stopped saying those words so frequently, but they both know that their feelings are connected in a way that makes them feel happy and warm even when they're miles apart. Sure, love has never been the only necessary thing to build a life together, but it certainly motivated them to always keep trying to figure things out, even when the world seemed to be ending.

Their love for each other— especially her love for him— has always made them endure all the hardships of their past, and helped them move on even with the scars of their own tragedies. Her love for him opened his eyes to the light once more, and his love for her made her stronger than she could've ever imagined. They're constantly pushing each other forward, and that's why they know it's a feeling worth fighting for.

It's something they just can't let slip from their grasp. It's something stronger than both of them, and certainly something with enough power to burn all the bridges that decide to stay on their way.

Their love burns. And he would never be an Uchiha if he was afraid of burning himself in order to keep that flame alive.

Sasuke knew exactly what he had to do. He knew how to cross that stupid bridge.

" I'll wait for you."

His voice was soft and reassuring, and as soon as she turned her head to face him, again, Sakura could feel the turmoil inside her chest disappear. His dark eyes were softer than ever, his lips were pressed in a thin line and she could tell he was extremely sure of his words and what they actually meant.

He was going to wait for her. He was going to abdicate of his own healing for her, and even if that made her happy, Sakura knew she couldn't let him do that for her. His travels were important for him, and she knew she couldn't be so selfish like that.

She couldn't let him be the only one sacrificing himself.

Oh, but that was never a question.

" Wait for me? Are you insane!? You can't do this, Sasuke! I won't let you."

" It's not your call to make."

" B-But it's not fair! You shouldn't be forced to give up on your travels because of me!"

" No one is forcing me, Sakura. I want to do this."

" …What?"

" Hn… I want to wait for you. And I'm not giving up on my travels. I'll be simply taking a break so you can come with me whenever you're ready. It will be better this way."

Her heart skipped a beat, and she could feel her chest getting warmer. Even if she was ready to fight for his travels, his serene expression quickly made her change her mind. There was no hint of regret or guilt on him, and it was possible to tell he was saying the truth.

Sasuke didn't want to stay, though he was willing to wait for her and he wasn't doing it out of pity or anything else. He genuinely wanted to wait for her so they could be together, and at that moment, Sakura knew she would have to make it work. No matter what, she was going to find a way to set herself free from her own, security ties so maybe, next time, they could finally part together.

With a relieved smile gracing her lips, the pinkette didn't think twice before running to him and wrapping her arms around his torso. She mumbled a muffled 'thank you' after burying her head into his chest, and as she breathed in his scent, the Haruno girl just knew they were going to cross that bridge together.

 _Definitely_ , next time, they would be going together.


	10. Days 11 and 14

**SasuSaku Month 2017**

 **Days 11/ 14- Shelter from the Rain + Even Just for a Moment**

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 **Title:** Let the Rain Wash Away

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 **Summary** : She's supposed to be doing her job when it suddenly starts raining. They were supposed to be at his house, but nature decided that it would be nice for them to enjoy each other's company in a more relaxing way.

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 **A/N:** This one has been ready and corrected for a while, but in the end, I decided to hold it until the last day of the SasuSaku Week. I know I'm so late with basically everything, but I hope you guys haven't given up on me just yet. I'm getting everything ready and I'm doing my best to get things ready on time (pfff as if I'll ever be able to do it). Still, I really enjoyed writing this one. It's a really nice fluff and it's a really light read. I hope you all enjoy it, and PLEASE, leave me a review! You might not believe me, but they help A LOT!

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There is something about the sound of rain falling down that makes her feel at ease. The water drops carefully crashing against the ceramic tiles of the temple's roof brings a strange peace to her soul, and the scent of the wet soil helps her breath a little better. The water creates a peaceful melody that seems to run down the sacred structure, sliding through the wooden pillars, and eventually, falling over the large, old bell that is no longer capable of making the same noises as it used to during its golden days. There's no other noise around. There are no people walking down the streets of that forgotten place. It's just the rain.

People don't come here anymore, she knows. No one in the entire village would dare come any closer to the only temple built inside the Uchiha district, not even after the end of the war. Some judge that place to be haunted by all the spirits of those whose eyes were as red as the blood that still stain the history of Konoha; and others simply don't actually believe the gods spare any glances to that abandoned clan. It's not hard to actually believe those stories, especially when the curse behind the Uchiha name is known around the ninja world, but still, being who she is, Haruno Sakura couldn't really bring herself to care about any kind of spiritual wrath.

Not after the things she saw. Not after the things she did.

Coming here, of all the places, makes her feel as if time itself has stopped for a few hours. The breeze runs through the soaked leaves, her hot breath fans over the tip of her nose, and if anything, she feels somehow protected in that place. No strange aura surrounds her, the temperature doesn't seem to drop, and having the eyes of the sole survivor of that clan on her back feels oddly comfortable.

Just a couple of steps away from her, Uchiha Sasuke is currently leaning his back against one of the inner pillars of the temple. His eyes are on her, she knows, as they study her while she simply stands there, watching the rain with her hands folded across her lower back. They have been like that for a while now, just enjoying the comfortable silence between them as they wait for the rain to stop.

Earlier today, he decided to pick her up at the entrance of the district so they could go to his house, where she would examine his eyes. It's something that both of them are used to by now, and even if the clouds had been giving out hints that rain would soon come, neither of them had decided to bring an umbrella. It wasn't a good idea, as they now know, seeing that they ended up taking shelter under the ancient structure of the Uchiha temple, but it's not like either of them have any other important plans today.

His eyes are her priority and it hasn't been long since he got back from his latest journey, so there isn't really any need to rush or anything. Neither of them really need to be somewhere else and at that simple thought, Sakura so happens to decide that it would be a nice chance for them to take advantage of that soothing atmosphere and try to make that whole thing a little more enjoyable for both of them.

" So.." She starts, finally turning around to face him. Her pink hair is still short enough to brush over her cheeks, and a soft smile is taking over her lips. " Are we just gonna keep counting the raindrops or are you going to let me do my job?"

At her words, a smirk crosses his face and the Uchiha closes his eyes for an instance. He doesn't move from his spot, considering her idea while simply looking at her ever green eyes. " There are no benches here. Don't you need to sit for that?"

" We can sit on the floor, come on." She giggles, kneeling down, with her feet thrown aside, and patting her lap. " Well, that is, unless _you_ need cushions for your royal butt."

There's a smirk on her face now, and the pinkette is quick to trap her lower lip between her teeth as she watches amusedly as his expression changes. A pout forms on his lips, and Sakura doesn't need any more evidence to know she's just won this friendly competition she started. Sasuke pushes himself away from the pillar, reluctantly— as per usual— and it's as if she can hear him cursing a bit due to the fact that he will have to lay down on that irregular and hard, stone floor. For a ninja who spends most of his days sleeping under trees and against rocks, the Uchiha can be quite prissy when he's home. He likes his cushions and fresh, clean towels almost as much as he likes his weapons, and that says a lot about the raven haired boy.

He complains a little, but eventually, he realizes that there's no use in avoiding this since the rain doesn't seem to be coming to an end soon. The light of day is also a positive point to consider since there isn't any electricity where they are, and above all, both of them know how busy the pinkette is. Even if she took the day just to examine his eyes, making her waste her precious time just doesn't seem to be fair.

It takes him a couple of seconds, but eventually, Sasuke sits down in front of her, and as he starts lowering his head, she uses her delicate and warm hands to place him in the position she will have better access to his dark eyes. His head rests on her lap, his dark hair falls to the side of his face, and she can feel it tickling the exposed area of skin just below her shorts. The heat from his body manages to warm her legs, and a smile crosses her face as she watches him accommodating himself in that position.

In the past, the simple idea of Uchiha Sasuke resting over her lap would certainly set her cheeks on fire, and chances were, she would pass out before his head even touched her legs. That whole thing has always seemed so intimate and she remembers all the times she talked to Ino about how she loved to see couples looking so comfortable like that. It seemed romantic and if anything, just that was enough to fill her childish mind with ideas of true love and happily ever afters. Sakura has always had this very fertile mind for things like that, and perhaps, becoming a doctor turned out to be a good way to outgrow most of those ridiculous things.

Most of the positions that seemed all-so-romantic for her childish self turned out to be quite uncomfortable in reality. During the war, due to the lack of beds around the battlefield, she had to use her lap as a cushion several times, and there was nothing romantic about having blood and dirt on her clothes. It was something practical that every medic around did, and all the stories of stealing kisses from above were nothing but just juvenile idealizations.

Though, if she were to be honest, the first time the Uchiha laid his head on her lap, she did feel something different about the whole thing. It was not something magical and heart-blowing, but it wasn't definitely nothing. Especially since, after so many times they've already been in this position together, she can still feel that same, stubborn _something_ bubbling inside her stomach.

" You comfortable down there?" She asks, genuinely, looking down at him. Her hair falls to the sides of her face, and if not for her headband, it would certainly be blinding her right now.

" Aah" He assures her, propping one leg up in a more relaxed position. " Let's just get over with this already."

" Okay, your majesty."

The rain has now settled to a fast pattern as it continues to hit the tiles above their heads, and by the time her hands start to glow green over his closed eyes, she's filled with a happy sensation to have her chakra in touch with his. As much as Naruto claims to feel relaxed and warm whenever she heals him, Sakura also experiences all kinds of feelings while doing so. She can feel sadness, happiness, anxiety and there was a time when she was actually feeling hungry after healing Choji. It depends a lot on what the person being healed is actually feeling, and even if it's always a fascinating experience to feel all kinds of things in a short period of 24 hours, Sakura can't help but be thankful to Sasuke's constant calmness.

It eases her mind and as weird as it can sound, it helps her breath. Her ribcage moves in a soothing rhythm, calming down all her nerves and sending endorphins through her entire system. Sakura feels happy, and right now, as she realizes there's nothing wrong with his eyes, she gets even happier— even more relieved.

Through her chakra, she examines his ocular structure, passing though the cornea, reaching the layers of his retina, the optic disc, and finally, the optic nerve. She is glad to find that all the damage caused by the irresponsible use during the war is now gone, and the only permanent consequence still remains that barely perceptible lengthening of his left ocular globe. They've talked about this already, and much like her, he doesn't seem bothered, not even if he eventually ends up developing a certain degree of myopia.

Instead of focusing her powers in repairing any epithelial ruptures, the pinkette can now proceed with therapeutic measures that aim for prevention more than anything else. _That's the biggest secret of living a longer and better life_ , she always says, with that ever so kind tone in her voice. She smiles at the fact that of all her patients, that stubborn Uchiha is actually one of the few people who actually listens to her. Whenever he gets back to the village, he already knows his fist appointment will be with her, and for more than medical purposes, she's really glad to have this mutual agreement with him.

He lets her do her job— as a medic and as a teammate— and in exchange for preserving his health, she won't make up any absurd story to the Hokage that he has an infectious disease that could probably murder tons of innocents around the village.

It seems like a fair trade, she thinks. And judging by the scowl he gave her when she first informed him about her blackmail-ish plans, Sakura could tell it was the right thing to do. Now, after their actions have basically fallen into an irregular routine, she no longer sees that same disapproving and annoyed expression in his face. Instead, she now sees—

She now sees how extremely handsome this boy has become and how the months he spends away leave their mark on him.

His chin is more angular now, his expression seems to be more relaxed, and as the wind plays with the dark locks of his hair, it's easy for her to tell that Sasuke doesn't seem to be bothered by anything at this very moment. If not for his regular heartbeat and his respiratory frequency, she would even say he fell asleep, for he looks like he has just found his own nirvana under her touch. His walls— his ever so high and ever so unbreakable walls— are down for her right now, and she can't help but blush at the momentary vulnerability of one of the greatest ninjas in the world.

He looks extremely beautiful, there's no denying that. Even if he has all that cool, murderous charm behind his midnight eyes, she can also tell he looks good like this, too, even when his face is currently upside-down.

He's completely relaxed right now, and Sakura suddenly finds herself wishing for the days when she will be able to see him like that first thing in the morning. Her cheeks blush at the thought of what that could possibly mean, and before that warmth can spread down her chest, the pinkette shakes her head. She _cannot_ think about Sasuke asleep next to her, no. Not with his hand resting under the pillow, his dark locks falling behind and the covers grazing his naked, lean ches—

" You're oddly quiet today, Sakura." He says, startling her and bringing her back to reality. His eyes are still closed, and the tone of his voice holds no emotion as he simply states a fact. " Is there anything wrong?"

" A-Ah.. No. Nothing's wrong, Sasuke-kun." She trips on the words, trying to think about what to tell him. " Your eyes are better than ever, don't worry. In fact, I've just finished everything." The green light slowly fades from her hands, and she's surprised when she finds his dark eyes staring at her with all their natural intensity.

 _Oh, lord,_ she thought, as all the air left her lungs. His eyes would certainly be the death of hers someday.

" I didn't ask about my eyes." He continues staring, and she feels as if he is trying to read through her. " Your face is a bit red, too. Did something happen?" Sasuke seems curious— and even a bit worried— but it's not like she could tell him what was actually going through her head at that moment, right?

"I-It's nothing, don't worry." She starts, placing her hands on the floor behind her, leaning back a little so his eyes are no longer on hers. " I was just a bit distracted, that's all. Besides, I thought you didn't like to hear me blabbering about things." She smiles, doing her best to ease her inner turmoil.

" Hn. I guess I'm not used to silence when you're around anymore."

A giggle escapes her lips, and she feels the butterflies in her stomach. " Is this supposed to be a bad thing?"

" Not really… Being out in the woods for too long without a single human voice isn't as nice as I first believed it to be."

" Wow, are you saying you miss Naruto blabbering about ramen and calling you a bastard all the time?"

"Hn, as if." He smirks, placing his arm over his belly and adjusting his head on her lap. Even if she's finished her treatment by now, the raven haired boy moves no muscle to get up.

" Well… we never know what happens to a man during his moments of despair."

" I'm not that desperate, Sakura. I'll sell my sharinagn before I even consider missing that dobe."

An overwhelming laughter escapes her throat, and she finds herself enjoying those words more than she actually should. More than anyone— more than even himself— she knows he doesn't really mean that. The bond between her two teammates is stronger than either of them can tell, and she wouldn't be surprised if the Uchiha ended up selling his sharingan for Naruto's sake if things ever get that serious.

Not that something like that will ever happen to the strongest ninjas of the world.

Even if she finds herself constantly worried about them, she's not an idiot to believe either of them will ever become easy targets. And even if they do— well, it's not like they'd be alone against the world anymore.

Thankfully, nowadays, it would be basically the other way around, if she were to be honest.

" Whatever you say, Sasuke-kun." She smiles, and the tone on her voice certainly tells him she didn't take his words seriously. " Though I'm glad to know you actually miss human contact every now and then. I was actually imagining the day when you'd get home and show every one your new, plant best friend."

" Tch, a plant? It would still be better than Naruto, but why not an animal?"

" An animal? Oh, no… Too normal for you. A plant would be just fine."

A giggle escapes her lips once more, and she can see him smirking at her lack of trust in him. After all these years, she's finally able to make those kinds of jokes about his nonexistent social skills. Their bond grew a lot stronger since the end of the war, and they're no longer the annoying girl and the popular avenger.

They're friends now. More than that, actually.

They are family. And if anything, that position in each other's lives allow them enough freedom to explore certain matters that would normally stay hidden inside their hearts.

Even if they're unsaid. Even if they can't really be heard.

Jokes aside, the pinkette knows better than to ignore the fact that he's actually saying he misses human contact whenever he's away for too long. Though that's certainly something normal for most humans, both of them know that his relationship with loneliness in the past was not something that could be considered normal, as per say. The tragedy of his family and the truth about Itachi left some serious marks on his heart, and the simple idea of Uchiha Sasule feeling lonely again is enough to scare the hell out of her.

Not because she believes he will snap and go on rampage against the village again.

Not because she thinks there is still a chance that he will make a stupid decision that he will certainly regret in the future.

But because the image of a lonely Sasuke in the middle of the woods is strong enough to tear her heart into millions of pieces.

Sakura is scared for him. She doesn't want to see him suffering so much anymore. He's already gone through a lot, and if anything, he doesn't deserve to have that small peace he conquered taken away from him, too.

Sasuke doesn't deserve to be alone.

And she will make sure he never feels like that again.

" Tell me, Sasuke-kun…" She starts, the wind playing with her pink locks and the tone of her voice a little lower than before. " Do you feel lonely when you're out there?"

There's silence for a while, as the wind swirls some leaves that are splayed around the floor. Her breathing is stuck in her throat, and it takes a while until the Uchiha finally opens his mouth. " Aah." He agrees, his eyes now focused on the rain that is still falling.

" Does it feel like it used to? You know… When we were kids?"

" Uhm… I don't think so. It's not that painful, I guess. It's just… Lonely."

Sakura can feel her heart getting tighter at his words, for she understands where his mind is drifting to. The Uchiha knows more about loneliness in his short life than anyone should have to, and even if he says it's not that painful anymore, there's no way his memories don't take him back to a time when that invisible pain would keep him up all night.

The Uchiha has seen and done things that will forever haunt him, and when he's alone— when the sounds of the forest become too low for his ears to even detect them— it must be hard to ignore all the noise inside. It must be hard to focus on the redemption part of his journey when there's nothing around to mute his sins.

Sasuke is lonely. Even if he now knows that there are people waiting for his return, he's still all alone in those woods, and not even he seems to be immune to the screaming silence of his past.

It must be hard. It must be so-damn _hard_ and she just wishes she could—

" Ouch!" The pinkette squeels, and she is suddenly brought back to reality as she feels fingers flickering against her forehead. She's sure there's a red mark there due to the unnecessary amount of strength he used, and she's certainly ready to scowl him for that, but she ignores it as soon as she sees how his eyes are glaring at her. They're silently scolding her, though, this time, she doesn't really know why. " That hurt- shannarou! Why the hell did you do that, Sasuke!?"

" Don't do it."

" Do what!?"

" You were overthinking." He says, as a matter of fact.

" N-No, I wasn't." She says, pouting and rubbing her forehead.

" Yes, you were. You made that face again."

" Face? What face?"

" Your zooming out face, Sakura. You just started looking down and you were chewing your lower lip. You do that face since we were kids whenever you start overthinking."

" No, I don't…" She tries, but by now, Sakura knows for sure there's nothing she can do to convince him of something that isn't true.

" Yes, you do." He sighs, closing his eyes again. " I can be lonely, too, okay? It's normal to feel like that when you spend months away from the people you care about. It doesn't have to mean more than that. Everything is fine."

" But, Sasuke-kun—"

" Don't. I already told you it's fine. I'm fine. Now stop whining or else I'll call you annoying."

The slight smirk on his face suddenly brings a different kind of warmth in her stomach, and slowly, a part of all that worry troubling her heart disappears. There's a very small smile on her lips now, and she looks down at him, finally realizing something she has apparently forgot for a while.

Of course. How could she forget _that_?

The pinkette mentally scolds herself, for she finally remembers that, behind all the suffering and loneliness— behind all those traumas and nightmares— the one facing it all is no one other than Uchiha Sasuke. The new, lighter and stronger Uchiha Sasuke, who no longer feels the need to close his eyes in order to pursue his goals. All that hatred that used to consume his body is nowhere to be found anymore, and even if he feels lonely every now and then, she knows that is just a temporary state. Sakura knows that _he_ knows he's not truly alone.

She knows that he can look back now and see his village and all of his friends waiting for him whenever he's ready for them.

This time, his loneliness is nothing but homesickness. He's longing for his home during the time he's away from it. He's missing Konoha, his house, his teammates and even the stupid conversations with Naruto, but if anything, he knows that such feelings will only make his returns even better for all of them

He misses the small things. And if anything, Sakura can't help but feel happy about that.

Sasuke has finally found his home. He has finally accepted his place in the village, with Naruto, Kakashi, his ninja fellows and— well— with her.

Now that his eyes are no longer clouded by revenge, the Uchiha can finally see that spot in her heart that has always belonged to him. He sees it, and now, at times like this, he gladly accepts her love for him.

Now, he gladly accepts her. Or at least that's what she likes to think while his head is still resting on her lap.

" Okay, I'll stop…" She says, smiling at the rain. The drops seem to be falling slower now and chances are, the sun will be shining brightly tomorrow. " I certainly don't want to be called annoying by the guy who lost his arm during a stupid fight against his best friend."

" Tch." He smirks. " Will you ever stop bringing this up?"

" I don't think so… But you can't complain about that I have the right to use it against you."

"Uh? How come?"

" Well… First of all, I'm the one who saved you that day, and if this isn't enough, I'm also the one whose lap is serving as a pillow for your head." She states, joy lacing her every word. "So, yeah… I guess I am allowed to use that."

" Hn." He sighs, relieved, slowly smirking in relief. " You really are annoying, Sakura."

" And so are you, Sasuke-kun…" She nods, contently smiling at herself. " So are you."


End file.
